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! ASSOCIATED PRESS !

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ^Man dies after reportedly being human pinata<

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(Mexico City-AP) -- A 24-year-old man died in Yucatan, Mexico, after reportedly allowing himself to be used as a human pinata (pin-YAW'-tuh).

Officials say the accident happened as Sebastian Pech was with two younger siblings.

Reforma reports Pech allowed the children to tie his hands and feet, balance him on a beam and swing at him with sticks.

Pech, who was tied loosely to the beam by the neck, jumped to avoid the blows -- which were delivered by his 13-year-old sister and eight-year-old brother.

While he twisted to avoid one blow, Cahum Pech fell from the beam -- tightening the rope around his neck and leading him to die of asphyxiation.

The accident occurred Tuesday in the rural township of Chemax.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-SLD:v AP-SC:0tx-n

AP-Mexico-Pinata Death

(Mexico City-AP) -- A 24-year-old Mexican man is dead after reportedly playing a human pinata for some children.

A newspaper (Reforma) says the man was standing on a beam with a rope loosely tied around his neck and ropes tied around his hands and feet. He was letting his younger brother and sister swing at him with sticks but lost his balance while trying to avoid being hit. He strangled when the rope tightened around his neck.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-SLD:v AP-SC:1nt--

Here is how I would write it:

THE GREAT HUMAN PINATA EXPERIMENT HAS LEFT A 24-YEAR-OLD MEXICAN MAN DEAD AND THE WORLD BETTER OFF FOR IT.

IT SEEMS THAT SEBASTIAN PECH (peck)DECIDED HE WOULD ENTERTAIN A COUPLE OF YOUNGER SIBLINGS WITH A MEXICAN PINATA PARTY...ALTHOUGH NOT THAT OF THE TRADITIONAL KIND. PECH PROCEEDED TO TIE A ROPE AROUND HIS NECK AND NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT HE ALSO ALLOWED HIS ARMS AND HANDS TO BE BOUND. PECH THEN STOOD ON A WOODEN BEAM THUS BECOMING A HUMAN PINATA.

IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED WHETHER OR NOT PECH HAD FILLED HIMSELF WITH CANDY OR WHAT HE EXPECTED WOULD SPILL FROM INSIDE HIM IF HIT HARD ENOUGH BY THE CHILDREN. WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT THEY ALSO FOUND IT TO BE A WONDERFUL IDEA AND BEGAN SWINGING AWAY.

PECH EVIDENTLY NO INTELLECTUAL GIANT AND WAS THEREFORE SOMEWHAT UNCLEAR ON THE TYPICAL FATE OF PINATAS...HE BEGAN TRYING TO DODGE THE BLOWS. OF COURSE IN DOING THIS, HE EVENTUALLY SLIPPED OFF THE BEAM AND SINCE HIS HANDS WERE BOUND HE WAS UNABLE TO FREE HIMSELF WHEN THE ROPE TIGHTENED AROUND HIS NECK. THE HUMAN PINATA WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AFTER HANGING HIMSELF WITH HIS OWN ROPE.

Submitted on 12/19/2003

Submitted by: Keith Merckx
Reference: ASSOCIATED PRESS 12/19/03

Copyright © 2003 DarwinAwards.com

Bert said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Lose the all caps, dude. First submiter who bothered to write a story-

Teela said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
good story though

Jack said:
Maybe Toss: Repeat
Actually, piņatas are supposed to be hung from a ceiling by a cord and not stood on a beam where most children couldn't hit it. Possibly a suicide attempt? And using all caps is rude and hurts the eyes.

Daniel said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
Why the rope around the neck? Up to that point, he's just a weird uncle. Now he's a contender.