Erik's Cause

Time 2020-06-23 10:03:35

Web Name: Erik's Cause

WebSite: http://www.erikscause.org

ID:8557

Keywords:

Erik,Cause,

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“EVEN SMART STRONG KIDS CAN MAKE DUMB CHOICESWITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES”  ...Pass out activities, commonly known in the media as “The Choking Game,”  have been around for centuries.  Unlike auto-erotic asphyxiation  (AeA), teens and tweens have been experimenting with this for non-sexual reasons (curiosity, peer pressure, the mistaken belief that it is safer than drugs, etc.) because they are unaware of the dangers.This generations-old issue has seen a recent resurgence as a result of YouTube and other social media, making the internet a cyber-playground.  Kids learn this deadly activity from other kids all across the world and believe other kids when they say it is harmless.  Kids lack effective education to combat what they hear on the web, putting them all at risk.The Choking Game differs from other risky activities is that it:is not illegal and has no deterrent of legal consequence;does not require acquisition of a product;can be “played” alone; andinterrupts basic brain function, therefore it is impossible to know when brain damage or death will occur.An equal-opportunity danger – it knows no racial, cultural, religious or socio-economic boundaries.While studies estimate 6 – 16% of teens have participated in pass-out games, anecdotal reports indicate the numbers to be much higher.  Increasing articles cite The Choking Game as one of the top dangerous behaviors that need to be on parents’ radar.Statistically it has been considered an aberration because the numbers of deaths and injuries attributed to ‘The Choking Game’ appear small, hence unimportant.  But statistics do not tell the story.  There are no public health databases to monitor these activities.  In addition, there is no standardized way for law enforcement and medical examiners to determine cause of death.  As a result, most Choking Game deaths are misclassified as suicides.  And choking game-related injuries are rarely reported with the correct attribution.  Even when a correct determination is made, many families bear their grief in silence because of shock and shame, “How could my child have done something so stupid?  What was s/he thinking?”Erik Robinson is one such victim of the Choking Game ...My son Erik died April 21, 2010 from the Choking Game.  He was a normal, healthy 6th grader at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica, California - an "A" student, avid athlete and boy scout and fully engaged in life. His dream was to go to West Point, enter the military and then law enforcement. He was the opposite of a youth "at risk".  Credible evidence indicates that Erik's first exposure to the choking game was during school the day before he tried it at home and died.At first we said that Erik died from a tragic accident until one schoolmate came forward and corroborated what the police maintained.  A reporter wanted to write a story that Erik was cyber-bullied into suicide which was totally false.  I was so incensed that I decided to go public with the truth.Thus began the journey called Erik’s Cause ...We believe that knowledge is power and that prevention education is the most effective way to combat the rampant popularity of this activity.  With the valuable input of many professionals, parents and kids, we have created an exceptional non-graphic skill-based training program that addresses the dangers of ‘The Choking Game’ (as well as risk activities in general) in a way that does not make kids curious to try it while building character skills to help kids say “no” to risk-taking behavior in general.  The training is standardized and can be easily replicated by any teacher or presenter.  We also offer education for parents which helps them talk with their children about this activity as well as other sensitive topics.  Decades ago, talk of substance abuse prevention in schools was unthinkable.  Bullying was a taboo subject until it gained national attention.  We believe the time has come to bring The Choking Game out of the shadows and into public awareness so our children can be saved from this epidemic and families can be spared the grief of losing a child to this preventable activity.Erik's dream was to be a soldier - he wanted to save lives.  My mission is to honor his legacy by saving the lives of other kids and sparing families from this type of blindsiding loss. Please share your story with us, tell a friend, share with others, join our cause and save kids' lives.Thank you, Judy Rogg (Erik's mom)Debunking the myth about educating kidsThe Erik's Cause training program does NOT make kids curious to play!  Click below to see student data results Click below to view part of our training program Click below to access interactive victim map Christine I am so sorry to hear about your loss. My daughter, Jennifer also passed away from playing the choking game on April 22, 2001. She was 14 years old. Prior to her passing, we also found marks on her neck but thought it was an allergic reaction to something. When she initially passed, we thought she took her own life. After talking to classmates and clergy, we found out about the pass out game. We had the police investigate and they determined she died from the game. It’s been one year since your son’s passing. I been to various support groups and they told me the second year is harder than the first. Unfortunately, the realization of death sets in during the second year. It’s going to be tough but it sounds like you have a support system. I always kept Jennifer’s spirit alive. I hope you keep Sean’s memory moving forward. It may be uncomfortable for people but too bad for them. It will time for you and your family to heal. You will never forget Sean but he will always be there in spirit. I suggest going to counseling and support groups for bereaved parents. It really helped me. On a Sunday afternoon in Jan. 2018, I found my son Sean hanged from a light fixture in his bedroom. He had just shared some funny videos with my husband and I before he went upstairs. My husband lost his first wife to suicide and has said he never saw a single sign of suicide. His sister came immediately after. She works for law enforcement. She went through every piece of paper in his room, all his things, and found nothing odd except his robe s belt had weird knots that she recognized from her background. A few months earlier I noticed a mark on his neck. It wasn t a hickey, but more like a rope burn. I talked to him about the choking game and stressed how dangerous it is. He told me it was from rough housing with friends.I cry everyday. My mother cries everyday. We are all struggling to live and be happy because we know that s what Sean would have wanted. I hope if anyone reads this is thinking about doing this, they think about the utter devastation their death will cause their family.Sean had turned 17 only six weeks before he died. He was my only child and the only grandchild on both sides. The pain and devastation is beyond description. Sean should be graduating from high school next week; instead his remains are in an urn in his bedroom. Hi Andrea,I am so sorry about David and I know the torture you are going through. We lost our son Adam to this in 2005, he was 12. I remember that if the kids have been doing this more than once, the coroner can find old bruising in the neck area and petechiae which is like a rash but it is broken blood vessels under the skin. This proves that the victim has been doing this for a while. I know there is a video out there of a coroner that found this research on how to investigate this. I know our coroner was just too busy to be bothered in investigating the cause and just left it inconclusive.I hope this helps and I hope that you find peace. Sometimes the world just seems so upside down. Hi Judy,First and foremost, we are sorry for your loss. My family and I are currently going through this. My brother David passed away 3/18/19 and WE KNOW he did not commit suicide. The medical examiners “opinion” was falsely reported based on pure physical evidence and failure to perform the correct research. We even sent them resoueces on the choking game and it was as if it was never viewed. A psychological autopsy was NOT performed and we would love your help. Could you email us more information on psychological autopsies. We are not closing this case without getting this information shared!Thank you.Please email silvarn@lead-mcm.com I am truly sorry for Erik s and all of your losses. My son Adam died doing this on 10/25/16. He was 25. We insisted it couldn t have been suicide because he was always happy, had lots of plans, and nothing ever bothered him! We were sure he had been killed by someone who staged a suicide. We insisted that investigators find out who killed him. We were shocked two years later to finally see his phone history where he had researched all kinds of things related to this deadly activity on the day of his death. Adam was never afraid of anything and probably thought nothing could ever hurt him. Well, this one proved him wrong. Parents, please know there is no age limit to this. Please talk to your children no matter what age. Adam had his own business, was a Marine and was not stupid. What he did was stupid and if he did it almost anyone could. Hi Robin,This is Judy Rogg, Director of Erik s Cause. You ask an excellent question. To piggy-back onto Mark Cernekee s comment, there is a process called a psychological autopsy during which the police do a deep dive into the intent of the victim. Although the physical evidence of a choking game death may look similar to a suicide, it is the intent that is key, and a full investigation into the history of the victim is what helps to show intent. But these take a lot of time and many police departments do not have the resources to devote to this; they rush to a decision based on the physical evidence which does not show intent. Still, sadly, many coroners ignore the investigator reports that uncover evidence of playing this game, citing the physical evidence only. Both of these issues lead to misclassification of many choking game deaths as suicide.Please see the document on our Downloads page called Suicide or Choking Game Getting it Right! I can also email you more info about the psychological autopsy if you want. Look for marks around the neck. We saw them and asked if she had an allergic reaction to something and she said yes. Little did we know, she was playing this game by herself. We found out from teachers in school that they were playing this game. The police investigated and find out her friends were playing the game. How are we to know the difference between death by suicide and death by playing the choking game? What are the differences? When I was growing up in the 60 s, the game used to be different. Kids used to give other kids bear hugs to lose their breath to get a buzz. Unfortunately today, they try to literally choke each other to lose consciousness. They would play this game instead of drinking or doing drugs. You may never know if your child is playing this game. This game has been around since the mid 1990 s. Sadly, back then, my coworker lost her daughter to the fainting game . I put the word game in parentheses because it isn t a game; it s fatal. I m sending hugs and prayers to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors, classmates, teachers, coworkers and communities affected by this fatal game . My daughter, Jennifer Cernekee, also died from playing the fainting game on April 22nd, 2001 in Kenosha, WI. We also thought she took her own life but after a police investigation, it was proven that she was playing the game. We had the death certificate corrected to show it was an accident. I feel for all of the parents on this site who also lost a child from this deadly game. Sure do miss that young man! Alas, we are still seeing way too many kids die from this activity, and the Youtube posts promoting this game among youngsters are very concerning. I teach 7th grade health and am so thankful for Erik s Cause. Our district has adopted this wonderful awareness program and I love to see the light come on in students eyes when they realize the physical ramifications this can have and how dangerous the choking game really is it is no game at all. Our community has lost too many to this in the past. Judy, thank you for the time and energy you put into this educational information that we can share with our students. All kids need to be aware of the dangers.Parents and teachers need to share this information with their children. My name is Clauber, I m From Brazil, I m 27 years old today, when I was 12 years old I used to play choking game, but I stopped when I almost died, I had near-death experience, I appeared in a white place, with no walls, no floor, absolutely empty space, I didn t remmember my name, or why I was dead, but I knew I was dead. So suddenly appeared many human shapes with no faces and started to fast approaching and screaming loud, so I was pulled down, I saw the place I was from the sky and falling down I felt I entering my body and I woke up without memory, I stayed afraid and with no memory for few minutes. I know this testimony may seem strange, I don t know if this events happened inside my brain or in a spiritual dimention, I just want to ask all people don t do this game, it s dangerous, as you can see in this website many people died doing this game, please parents talk with your children about it, show them many people died doing this. I fell so sorry for all you losses, I hope your cause make many people aware of this danger, I wasn t aware, I was a smart kid, but kids don t have good sense of danger, it s important to talk with the kids about this. Sarie HarmseI am from South Africa. We lost my grandson on the age of 14 two years ago of the choking game and we all miss him so terribly. I lost a boy scout in my troop to this, Simon died two months ago to this senseless tragedy. Thanks for shining the light on this. I have a 14 year old was totally surprised to find out about this choking game I totally agree it needs to be stopped parents need to have some type of awareness of the symptoms or what it looks like when your child has tried this game I use to play back in 1999 to 2001. Looking back i realize it wasnt worth it. Sad to know how easily peer pressure can influence a child. I m saddened beyond words for you loss. So thankful you allowed God to turn the loss of your child into something good by warning others about this misguided game. God Bless You and your Family. My friend, Tommy, just lost his 11 year old who tried the choking game. So tragic! His only son, for no reason. I have an 11 year old. More people need to be aware and we need to try to get the websites and videos taken down. My best friend just lost her son on April 12th from the choking game. An entire town is devistated and most think he just hung himself. How can I help my friend through this tragedy? She is understandably broken. Her son Austin was 15. What can we do? I am so very sorry for your loss, but maybe God made him an angel so through him you could save other kids. There is a reason for everything, Erik s story is tragic, no doubt but there are so many children that die everyday from cancer, car accidents and accidental shootings and yes suicide it s truly mind-boggling. As a single Mom of two sons (11 and 15) that have thought of suicide (both are in counseling, and I participate also) This story hit me hard. I read the entire page with youngest (I will with my oldest as well) and we watched the video and it made him really sad and me also. All of these beautiful kids , over/done. We talked about all the things they will never do and I think it sunk in. Life is precious and it can be gone in the blink of an eye, for whatever reason. This a strong message for parents too. Love each other everyday and night and it may still not be enough, but at least we know we loved them well.Thank you for creating Erik s Cause and making people aware, Blessings to you and yours Judy. We just lost our 12 year old, and it was immediately obvious that he was trying the choking game. We had talked to him about it, months ago, when it was in the news. We didn t know it was on his radar and we certainly didn t think he d try it. His father, grandmother and little brother were right in the next room. We think he probably thought he d try this to find out what the fuss was about and then go have his after school snack and some TV before homework, and maybe, we don t really know, but maybe, in his mind, he might have thought this might give him a little prestige amongst his peers. He was only 12 and very happy. He had been diagnosed with Aspergers when he was younger, but had asked us not to keep talking about it, because, he said, he was over it. We haven t thought for even a minute that this was suicide. My husband, Simon s dad fround him and immediately recognized it as the choking game. His knees were near the floor and he was just leaning forward. This was just a kid who tried to do something incredibly stupid. We will never forget Simon, nor will we stop talking about him. We view his death as a horrible, stupid accident. Even though we had casually discussed this with him months ago, it didn t sink in. It isn t enough to tell parents about this or kids. You have to scare the crap out of your kids about this!http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theneworleansadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=simon-greydon-barrows amp;pid=174184781 amp;fhid=2795 Hello Judy. Sue McNamara Barber here. I turned on my computer tonight and saw your beautiful face on my ISP home page. I am truly sorry to hear about your losing Erik in such a tragic way. He looks like he was a wonderful boy. I am so proud of you for the actions you have taken over these past five years to help other families to avoid this loss in the wake of your loss. Love you, Sue I m in tears from this video! I have a 12 year old son and I am going to close my computer and go talk to him about this right now! Your loss is not in vain, I will do my part to spread the word! Thank you for sharing with other parents and kids to prevent the loss of more! Bless you!! Erik's Cause Saving lives with a non-graphic, skills-based approach to raise awareness and stop deadly pass-out games (most commonly known as "The Choking Game").

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