Boy,13, dies during hot dog eating game for charity

A 13-year-old boy died after choking on a hot dog while participating in an eating game at an event to raise money for earthquake victims in Haiti.

Police are investigating the death of Noah Thomas Akers, of San Pedro, California, as an accident, LAPD Lt. David McGill said. A member of the boy’s family said Noah, a Dana Middle School student, was taken off life support four days after being admitted to the hospital. The incident occurred at the Boys & Girls Club of San Pedro, where a series of games were being played by about 120 middle and elementary school children on Jan. 28. The activities, which took place over several days, included a dance contest, tug-of-war, musical chairs and the hot dog eating game. Students paid $1 each to participate, said Mike Lansing, director of the center. The hot dog-eating portion was not a contest, Lansing said, but a game to see how many kids could down the unusual combination of one cooked hot dog on a bun dog slathered with whipped cream. Each child who could finish the weird combo received a candy prize. Lansing said a Boys & Girls Club staff member made sure the 12 children who participated in the game understood it was not a speed game. Each participant was specifically told to take his or her time, he said. The children donated around $150 to the Haitian relief fund, Lansing said.