(Sept. 23) -- The family of a 16-year-old California boy who died after being entangled in a Bowflex exercise machine now say they believe he had been playing "the choking game," a dangerous phenomenon among teens who try to get high by making themselves pass out.
"We had never even heard about this before," Eric Butler, the high school athlete's father, told CBS13 in Sacramento. "It's something we never had a chance to talk about with Justin."
Justin Butler was found by his parents Sunday night, unconscious and twisted in the lines of the exercise machine. They performed CPR but were unable to revive him. He died Monday. Nevada County officials have ruled the teen's death an accident.
"I think we need to be brutally honest about the reality of what happened," Eric Butler told The Union newspaper of Nevada County, Calif. "The only way to make something good come out of the death of our son is to save the lives of some other kids. Because that's what we're talking about here -- life and death."
Also known as Hangman, Elevator, Tap Out and Flatliner, the deadly ritual has killed more than 80 children and teens from 1995 to 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a 2008 report. By using a noose or a rope, youngsters try to reach a state of euphoria induced by cutting off oxygen to the brain.
Justin had just scored his first touchdown for the Bear River High School football team last Friday night. He made all A's on his last report card, his family said.
"Because Justin was such a great kid, we thought that the best way to honor him is to put the spotlight on this activity that could endanger our kids," Bill Buus, his uncle, told The Sacramento Bee. "We want to put this information out there as quickly as possible to prevent another child from dying."
Justin and a friend were watching football and doing homework Sunday while his parents were outside gardening. Apparently, his father said, when the friend left the room, Justin decided to choke himself by leaning his neck into a strap anchored by the exercise machine, The Union reported.
His parents said friends of their son had come forward in the past few days to tell them about the "game" several of them had been playing.
"The kids told us about it and that apparently he had done it before," Justin's mother, Kendall Butler, said.
Her husband agreed. "It was made clear to us that this is being done by kids, that it's part of their culture right now," Eric Butler said.
