10-year-old reportedly found hanged at Ill. school

[Are_grits_groceries]

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — A 10-year-old boy died after reportedly being found hanging from a hook in a school restroom, and police on Wednesday would not confirm the school district’s contention that the death was accidental.

The mother of Aquan Lewis said Wednesday that she was still waiting for an explanation of what happened to the fifth-grader at Oakton Elementary in the Chicago suburb of Evanston.

The boy was found unresponsive in a restroom Tuesday afternoon and was pronounced dead Wednesday at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
<snip>
School janitor Elliott Lieteau said that when he entered the restroom the boy was lying on the floor and he was told other people had pulled the boy off a hook. He said he performed CPR.

Police Cmdr. Tom Guenther said at a news conference Wednesday that Aquan’s death was “an isolated incident” and no other children were in danger. He would not discuss whether Aquan had been found hanging from a hook or whether he believed the death was an accident, saying he didn’t want to jeopardize the investigation.
http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/02/04/news/doc498a0640e3834476936940.txt

What's a hook doing in a restroom? Accidental??
Way weird......... Has to be more to the story........

[Dorian Gray]

1. The poor boy

and the poor mother. How horrific.

[hlthe2b]

2. Accidental..... hmmm

or suicide or murder. Now how could they rule accident so quickly?

[Jamastiene]

5. It's called CYA

Cover Your Ass. It sounds to me like that is exactly what they are doing.

[Auggie]

6. Indeed. Could be the work of a bully.

[varkam]

3. re: the hook...

I'm thinking they're referring to the hooks that are on the stall doors for hanging coats and whatnot.

[Jamastiene]

4. I would be beyond outraged if I was the boy's mother.

Hell, I'm not the boy's mother and I'm outraged. How is it that you can send your kid off the school and have them come home in a body bag from being hanged? That school should be investigated without mercy. I don't give a damn what anybody says.

[City Lights]

7. His death was ruled a suicide.

Boy's death ruled a suicide
Friends, relatives search for answers after 10-year-old hangs self

By Emily S. Achenbaum, Kristen Kridel and Jeremy Gorner | Tribune reporters
February 5, 2009

A 10-year-old boy found hanging in an Evanston school restroom had threatened to take his life, sources said Wednesday, underscoring experts' warnings to take cries for help seriously even from the very young.

Scolded by a teacher, Aquan Lewis responded with a threat to kill himself the same day his body was discovered, said sources familiar with the investigation.

The 5th grader hanged himself Tuesday afternoon by his shirt collar on a hook in an Oakton Elementary School restroom stall where a footprint was found on a toilet, a source said.

Aquan of the 8600 block of Trumbull Avenue in Skokie died early Wednesday, hours after he was found unresponsive in the boys restroom. The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death a suicide by hanging.

More...

[Javaman]

8. This same exact thing happened here in Austin about a year ago.

kid found on a hook in the boys room hanged.

something weird is going on.

[ogneopasno]

9. Oh, that's devastating. That poor child. To be that young and think that suicide is an option.

[Hepburn]

10. There usually are hooks on the back of restroom stall doors...

...but I have no clue if this is what the reference is to.

This is HORRIBLE. An accident, suicide or a homicide...in any case, what a tragedy.

[abq e streeter]

11. In case this isn't already horrifying enough, that was my elementary school

many many years ago. How incredibly sad.