A man in Houston, Texas, lost his life after getting stuck inside a donation box shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday. Emergency responders arrived at the scene within a few minutes but were unable to save him in time. Officials have since shared what they believe about the man and what led to him being trapped. The organization behind the box has also released a statement about what happened.
The Trapped Man Was Able To Contact Authorities While Trapped Inside The Box
On the morning of Monday, November 24, officials in Texas were alerted to a man found trapped within a clothing donation box. It’s believed that the trapped man himself was able to send out a “distress call” to 911 around 1:36 AM local time.
During the call, the man believed that he was losing air while trapped inside the box. First responders arrived within three minutes of the call.
Speaking with CBS affiliate KHOU, Mark Herman, the Harris County Constable Precinct 4, shared, “The individual got in the box and ended up turning himself in an awkward position to where it affected his breathing. Even on the 911 call, he’s heard saying, ‘I can’t breathe, I’m having problems breathing.’”
In an update with People, officials shared that they believed the man was homeless and was trying to get clothes from the donations. However, the box, which was equipped with an anti-theft feature, started to close on top of him.
One Official Dubbed The Case ‘A Tragic Incident’
Assistant Deputy Chief Danny Garza told the outlet, “I think just a combination of the box kind of closing up top around him and then just likely him starting to panic ultimately caused him to pass away.” Emergency rescuers found the man in distress and attempted life-saving efforts, but he was declared dead at the scene.
The deceased’s identity has not been revealed to the public. However, it is believed he was 45 years old at the time of his death. Garza also shared, “There’s no sign of foul play,” calling what happened “a tragic incident.”
Arms of Hope, the organization behind the donation box, shared a statement following the incident. Speaking with KHOU, they shared, “We are aware of the tragic incident involving a deceased individual discovered in a donation collection box.”
“Our hearts and prayers are with the individual and their loved ones during this difficult time. Because this is an active investigation, we are not able to share further details at this time.”
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
