Bellingham boy, 12, dies after accident on rope swing

A Bellingham boy has died from injuries he suffered days earlier in an accident on a rope swing, according to police.

Benny Capp, 12, a seventh-grader at Kulshan Middle School, was flown to Seattle Children’s Hospital Saturday evening after a family member found him hanging from a rope swing outside a house in the Whatcom Falls neighborhood, said Bellingham Police Sgt. Dave Johnson.

Firefighters performed CPR on the boy until they found a pulse again. Capp remained at the Seattle hospital for four days. He died Wednesday.

On Thursday the King County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Capp died from asphyxia due to ligature hanging. After an autopsy the death was ruled an accident.

Coworkers of the child’s stepfather set up an online fundraiser to support the family. Search “Swanson Family Fund” on GoFundMe.com.

This week counselors were available to the child's peers at Kulshan Middle School.

“Benny was a wonderful, humorous and energetic boy who had such a positive impact on our school and was a valued member of our Kulshan community,” the school’s principal, Meagan Dawson, said in an email to parents on Thursday morning. “Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends.”

This story was originally published May 4, 2017 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Bellingham boy, 12, dies after accident on rope swing."