Child playing online game dies by suicide in Texas, and Michigan boy charged, cops say

A Michigan boy is facing charges after a child in Texas died by suicide during an online game nearly a year earlier, according to police.

The investigation started in January, when deputies responded to a call about a suicide, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable Ryan Gable said in a Dec. 8 news release.

Investigators entered the home, roughly 30 miles north of Houston, and found the child dead, officials said. They were wearing a gaming headset and appeared to still be online at the time of their death, according to investigators.

Following months of investigation — including interviews with members of an online gaming group spread across the U.S. — charges were brought against a juvenile male living more than 1,000 miles away in Allen Park, Michigan, the release said.

Allen Park is about 10 miles southwest of downtown Detroit.

The boy is accused of harassment causing death and aiding suicide, according to officials. He appeared in Montgomery County Court on Dec. 7, officials said.

Officials have not publicly identified anyone involved because they are juveniles.

“The Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office takes investigations regarding cyberbullying seriously and will continue to investigate these cases to the fullest extent,” the release said.

This story was originally published December 11, 2023 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Child playing online game dies by suicide in Texas, and Michigan boy charged, cops say."