A secondary school student from Anna van Rijn College in Nieuwegein has died while participating in the ‘choking game,’ as reported by RTV Utrecht. The victim was a boy from the third year of pre-university education.
This dangerous activity involves self-strangulation or being choked by someone else until fainting, aiming to experience a ‘high’ sensation. The school had initially informed that a student passed away due to an accident and later disclosed the cause to warn other parents about such challenges.
It remains unclear if the incident occurred at school or when. The police have not received any reports.
The school has established a memorial site and is providing additional support to students and parents, urging them to discuss the dangers of online challenges. In previous years, similar games have led to fatalities among youths in the Netherlands.
The Public Prosecution Service has highlighted the risks of physical harm, including brain damage from oxygen deprivation, and the possibility of spasms. In 2022, a teenager in Amsterdam was arrested for holding four students in a chokehold.
Source: NOS