Boy, 11, died in copycat 'experiment' after reading about child's hanging in a newspaper

Last updated at 11:33 14 May 2008


A schoolboy found hanging after he became mesmerised with a story about another child who hanged himself had been "experimenting", an inquest heard.

Just a few hours before his body was found, 11-year-old Cameron MacDonald read a newspaper report about the death of another boy in the same town.

Cameron's mother Alison, a community psychiatric nurse said he was "mesmerised" by the story and asked questions about it before going up to his bedroom.

Half an hour later his mother found Cameron hanging from his bunk bed at his home in Balby, Doncaster on February 21.

Mrs MacDonald said it was either a "prank or an experiment" and her son was bright and happy with no worries.

Doncaster coroner Stanley Hooper, recording an accidental verdict, said the boy could not loosen the noose around his neck and did not realise the danger of what he was doing.

Mr Hooper said: "He had read about something that happened to another boy in broadly similar circumstances. He was curious and inquisitive about things.

"I cannot record a verdict of suicide if there is any other explanation.

"I am quite satisfied that what this little chap was doing was seeking to experiment and find out what happened to the other little boy.

"Having got into that position he has become unconscious within three minutes or so and found it impossible to get himself out and would have died from lack of oxygen.

"People do not realise the dreadful danger of experimenting in this sort of way."

Mr Hooper said he had dealt with several inquests where adults had failed to extricate themselves from hanging while experimenting.

He said: "If that can happen to an adult it can happen to a bubbly and inquisitive boy who would seek to find out things all the time."

He issued this warning: "I would give a warning to people of all ages that such experimenting can lead to a situation from which one cannot extricate oneself."

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