Mother blames son's death on choking game

By Jamel Lanee' – bio | email

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - A north Alabama mother is warning others about the dangers of the choking game after she says her son, Andrew Wright, died from playing the game.

The choking game is where teens cut off their air supply to their brain to produce a type of euphoria.

13-year-old Wright, a student at Sparkman Middle School, was declared brain dead Monday night after being in the hospital for four days. Now his family is making funeral arrangements and his friends are coping with a major loss.

"I just knew him from sports mostly because he was on the football team. Everybody misses him, everybody is putting posters on their lockers," said Wright's classmate, Alexander.

Alexander's mom, Amanda Hull says parents need to warn their kids about the dangers of the choking game.

[Choking game cases all across the country]END wnDVHeadline

"They do it because they think it's a high and I've talked to my children about it and we know it's not a game that we're supposed to be playing," said Hull.

"When you have a lack of oxygen, there's going to be a stress response," explained Doctor Tim Howard.

[Choking game deaths]END wnDVHeadline

Doctor Howard says lack of oxygen can also cause amnesia, concussions, and comas. Research suggests the game is played by people age six to 25, some kids in groups, others alone.

Doctors say there are recognizable signs your teen is playing the choking game, including blood shot eyes, marks around the necks, being tired and disoriented after they have spent time alone.

Researchers with the centers for disease control say boys are more likely to die from the choking game than girls, and that most victims are between 11 and 16 years old.

[Information from the CDC on the choking game]END wnDVHeadline

Wright's visitation will be Thursday night from 5-8pm at Berryhill Funeral Home. His funeral will be at 11am Friday with burial at Maple Hill Cemetery.

An Andrew Wright Memorial Fund has been set up. Donations can be made at any Redstone Federal Credit Union.

Related Stories:

• Dying to play: A WAFF 48 News special report

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