EDDINGTON, Maine — It appears a local 8-year-old boy who died the day before Thanksgiving may have been playing around and accidentally hanged himself, the medical examiner has determined.
The boy was a third-grader who attended Holden Elementary School, which is part of Regional School Unit 63, serving the communities of Eddington, Clifton and Holden. The BDN is not naming the youngster because of his age.
“Based upon the circumstances surrounding his death, there is no definite indication of intentional self-harm,” Mark Belserene, spokesman for the state medical examiner’s office, said in a Tuesday email.
“The death more likely represents an accidental hanging,” Belserene added later. “However, since it is not possible to be sure of intent in this case, the manner of death is best certified as ‘undetermined.’”
The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office is handling the death.
“Our investigation remains active and ongoing,” Sheriff Troy Morton said in a Tuesday text message.
Superintendent Susan Smith let the community know about the boy’s death the day it happened by posting a message on the RSU 63 website, describing him as “a wonderful, friendly child.”