Guruve boy (5) dies in freaky sugar fruit tree han...

Guruve boy (5) dies in freaky sugar fruit tree hanging mishap

A Guruve boy (5) has died after accidentally hanging himself on a sugar fruit tree.

Police have confirmed that the death is being treated as accidental and no foul play is suspected:
"I can confirm a sudden death case in Guruve where Browean Matare's body was found hanging from a Muzhanje tree after his jersey sleeve choked him to death," said acting Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Sergeant Major Samuel Chikasha.

Reports say that the bereaved parents left their three children, including the deceased at home while they went to work in their garden.

On return, the mother called for the children but only two turned up. A short while later the father discovered the body of the 5 year-old hanging in the tree.

www.sciencedirect.com says accidental hangings are rare and the circumstances are often freaky and bizzare.

Some recorded fatalities include a 7-year-old girl who accidentally hanged herself while playing with a curtain rope and a thief who was found head-trapped between two bars of a metal outer-door.

A medical practitioner who spoke to Zim Now says it is likely that the boy slipped and his neck was somehow entangled in his jersey sleeve either choking him or breaking his neck:

“One would have to examine the body for a definite explanation of how death occurred. When someone dies by hanging, gravity pulls down the body effectively breaking the neck where it is constrained.”

emedicine.medscape.com says, “The mechanism of death from hanging is effectively decapitation, with distraction of the head from the neck and torso, fracture of the upper cervical spine.”

The medical practitioner also said while post mortems are standard in cases of sudden death like this one, it is possible for professionals attending the scene to make a call on whether it is accidental or indicate need for further investigations.

“Foul play is usually suspected if there are injury marks on the body, not consistent with something that the deceased could have inflicted on themselves.

“Also if there are signs of struggle where the body is discovered, red flags are raised,” the medical practitioner said.