‘Choking Game’ Death: Grieving Mother Whose Son, 14, Died After Playing Deadly Internet Game Gives Warning

After the tragic death of her 14-year-old son Jack Pickles, a grieving mother warns about the dangers of playing the deadly “choking game,” reports the Daily Mirror.

On February 2, Selina Booth of Todmorden, West Yorks, discovered her son’s lifeless body on the floor of his bedroom after apparently playing the choking game which he discovered on the internet.

The purpose of the game is to get a brief high and in order to do that, one must choke themselves or another participant.

Selina Booth found her 14-year-old son Jack Pickles dead in his bed at home in Yorkshire after he was apparently… http://t.co/Q5HSzFzb4j

— Police Alerts UK (@PoliceAlertsUk) July 17, 2015

“They call it the ‘Good Boys Game’ because it’s not taking drugs or alcohol. They actually think it’s not going to harm them,” said Booth. “But I don’t call it the choking game. I call it Lose. Because you lose your life and we lose you,” Booth added.

“Don’t think it’s safe because it causes seizures, hemorrhages, memory loss and there are kids in comas because of it.”

“If you are playing it now my message to you is to stop. You can stop because it’s not an addiction. Stop before it’s too late.”

“Do you want it to be your mum who hugs clothes that you’re not in anymore just to smell you? Do you want your mum to ask your mates around so she feels that little bit closer to you?”

Upon the death of her son, Booth is now making it her mission to warn other parents about the deadly internet game and what they should look out for to ascertain if their child is a participant of the deadly game. Booth stated that the warning includes bloodshot eyes, marks on the neck, moles that are bleeding, participants locking themselves in their rooms or wanting to be alone more, participants covering their necks, and hearing loud bangs in the night.

“Jack was my best friend. We just did everything together – shopping, wrestling, holidays and days out,” she added. “He was just funny. He was always doing something, whether it was eating silly food or telling jokes. He loved football, especially going to watch Burnley.”

“Jack loved YouTube. He had his own site on there. I think that’s where he found that choking game.”

“Statistics show that the first or second attempt is when they die from it.”

“We definitely think this was the first time with Jack because there were no warning signs.”

Jack’s 15-year-old girlfriend, Chloe Dunlevy, said, “We just want to raise awareness about the choking game and stop people doing it.”

[Image courtesy of Sean Gallup / Getty Images]