Parents warn of 'choking game' craze after death of 12-year-old son

Parents have been warned about a dangerous online ‘choking’ game after a 12-year-old boy who was believed to be playing it died from suffocation.

Karnel Haughton, from Birmingham, is speculated by family friends to have suffocated himself while playing the dangerous ‘choking’ game, also called ‘space monkey’, which is becoming “terrifyingly popular” online.

He was described as “a popular, beautiful, clever and outgoing lad”.

A warning was posted to Facebook by a family friend urging parents to talk to their children about the game and warn them of the dangers.

The family wish to raise awareness of the dangerous game so that other parents do not need to face the same horrors, but were unable to post themselves due to their going through such a difficult time.

The ‘choking game’ is a phenomenon that has been on the radar since around 2005 after several deaths were attributed to it – though it is thought to have been around for longer. Many more deaths have been reported since, often occurring close together due to the ‘viral’ nature of the internet.

The ‘game’ is designed to induce a ‘high’ by depriving the brain of oxygen. This can be achieved by extensive hyperventilation, or by strangulation.

Karnel passed away on 1 June, in what was described as a “massive” shock to his parents. According to the Facebook post, some of his friends came forward and spoke to the police following his death, explaining that they had been discussing the game prior to the incident.

West Midlands Police are treating the boy’s death as “unexplained”, and cannot confirm or deny claims made by the family or their friends, only that that the boy collapsed, and died later in hospital.

Police were called at around 9:45pm following reports that a child had collapsed, and the case has been referred to a coroner in order to determine the exact cause of death.

The family claim that the Karnel died from suffocation, and believe the game to be responsible. They not believe that he would have deliberately attempted to commit suicide.

The family friend said: “Karnel was not unhappy and had a very happy home life and was loved dearly.”

The aim of the choking game is to achieve a feeling of euphoria, but not to injure oneself. Young people are told to strangle themselves until they are almost at the point of passing out, but stopping just in time so that they can experience the high.

It appears that Karnel did not stop in time and lost consciousness, leaving him unable to free himself from strangulation.

US charity GASP, who set up by parents wishing to prevent the activity, say that the ‘game’ is usually played by young people between the ages of 9 and 16. These young people are typically intelligent and high achieving, and are unlikely to be involved with drugs and alcohol, so seek a ‘high’ that seems safer but is in fact extremely dangerous.

The charity estimates that 250 to 1,000 children die in the US alone each year while playing the game.

Consultant psychologist Emma Citron speculates that trends such of these are part of an ever-growing ‘dare-devil’ culture among teenagers.

“In teenage brains there is a need to take risks. As part of being a teenager, they need to try new things that are potentially very risky and dangerous, like the game, and like drugs and alcohol,” she said.

“It is very much within the ‘dare’ culture. Pressure starts when you’re 10 or 11 and you play dare games at parties. This is a bit like ‘how long can you stay underwater and hold your breath for’, another game youngsters might play. They’re probably being egged on by friends; it almost becomes a point of pride.”

To a teenager who is prone to taking risk, the potential threat of games like the choking game may not be something they feel they need to consider. Ms Citron says most teens are most likely not trying to hurt themselves.

“In their minds, it’s probably not that different from the ice bucket challenge, which is also hard to do,” said Ms Citron.

“They see this as a dare game. I don’t think they’re self-harming, they just aren’t mature enough to realise how terribly dangerous and sadly tragic it can be.”

Games like the choking game, and indeed the ice bucket challenge, are often publicised on the internet, and spread quickly from person to person online, leading to ‘copycat’ behaviour.

Online ‘challenges’ are widespread. 1 in 6 people in the UK is estimated to have done the ice bucket challenge, and other internet games like the cinnamon challenge and ‘chubby bunny’, which involves putting a large number of marshmallows in your mouth have also been tried by millions.

Though in theory this may be harmless, or even beneficial in the case of charity- challenges, the internet is a breeding-ground for encouraging dangerous behaviour.

“What the internet can do is legitimise behaviours that are not safe or healthy options,” says Ms Citron.

“For instance with anorexia and bulimia, there are many sites that egg kids, mostly girls on and make it a competition.

“There’s a competitive element to this too – how brave can I be? How much can I do? The internet fuels the pressure to be seen as ‘man enough’ to take on whatever morbid challenge is being set.”

Karnel’s parents have urged fellow mothers and fathers to discuss the challenge with their children, and ensure that they have been warned of the dangers the challenge poses.

Ms Citron concurs: “None of us, or our kids, are immune from this culture – this copycat daredevil hype. None of us should be complacent about that.

We don’t know a lot about what our teenagers are thinking and feeling, or about the pressure they’re under in their peer environment.”

She advises parents to discuss matters in a way that encourages openness, not indicative of blame or punishment, so that youngsters feel safe sharing their concerns.