Boy accidentally strangled to death

A one-year-old boy was accidentally strangled to death yesterday in Paco, Manila while playing with his sister and a neighbor inside their house.

Christian Talag, of 1503 Pedro Gil street, was dead on arrival at the Ospital ng Maynila. His playmates — a seven-year-old sister and a six-year-old boy have so far denied purposely looping a cord around the victim’s neck and strangling him.

Initial investigation by the Manila police showed that the three children were left playing inside the Talag residence at about 2 p.m. while the victim’s mother was doing the laundry. Christian’s mother and father were separated.

Police suspected that the kids were playing a game, looping the cord around the boy’s neck until the latter stopped moving.

The two children reportedly did not immediately thought that something was wrong while their playmate was lying motionless until he started to turn pale.

The older children then sought the help of an adult neighbor, Romualdo Baruel, who took the victim to the hospital.

Investigators said that it is likely that the victim looped the cord around his neck amid denials by his playmates. The incident is still under investigation.