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Tyson’s daughter, four, strangled as she plays in gym
Paul Thompson26 May 2009
Former boxer Mike Tyson's four-year-old daughter was in an “extremely critical” condition today after being found hanging by a cord from a treadmill at his home.
Police believe the girl, called Exodus, was playing in a gym at the house in Phoenix, Arizona, when she became entangled in a rope or cord.
Her seven-year-old brother found her and alerted their mother who pulled her free and gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation. Paramedics arrived and took Exodus to hospital, where she remains on a life support system.
Tyson, 42, was in Las Vegas at a business meeting, but flew to his daughter's bedside in St Joseph's Hospital.
Police spokesman Sgt Andy Hill called the incident a “tragic accident”. He said: “She was playing on this treadmill and there's a cord that hangs under the console — it's kind of a loop.
“Either she slipped or put her head in the loop, but it acted like a noose and she was unable to get herself off.”
Officers believe Exodus's brother was watching television and her mother, whose name is not known, was cleaning in another room when the accident happened.
Phoenix Fire Department officials told a local TV station the woman who made the emergency call initially reported an electrocution from the treadmill cord, but then told them there had been a hanging. Tyson did not speak to reporters when he arrived at the hospital.
Neighbour Shafiq Khalik said: “He's a really nice guy, definitely a guy I don't want anything bad happening to him. I hope everything works out. It's very tragic.”
Tyson retired from the ring four years ago. He was the youngest undisputed heavyweight champion of the world but his behaviour outside the ring overshadowed his achievements.
In 1992 he was jailed for three years for rape and in 2003, after losing several fights, was declared bankrupt despite earning more than £200 million over his career.
He has been married twice and Exodus is the youngest of his six children.
Reader views (1)
hope the little girl pulls through "mike's the best"
- Kc, London, 26/05/2009 18:19
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