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Spring Creek boy dies in accidental hanging

Tuesday, June 5, 2007 4:59 PM PDT

ELKO — An 11-year-old Spring Creek boy died Friday in what Elko County Undersheriff Rocky Gonzalez characterized as a practical joke gone horribly wrong.

Landon Greenan, son of Deputy Fire Chief Dave Greenan, hanged himself from a garage rafter at the family’s Flora Drive home.

“This appears to be an accidental death,” Gonzalez said. “The detective indicated it didn’t look intentional. This boy was a practical joker, there were no issues. He was a good student and a good athlete and there is no history whatsoever.”

Gonzalez said Greenan threw a rope over the rafter between 11 and 11:30 a.m., but no knot was tied. Gonzalez said the boy was standing in his stocking feet on a car seat that had been removed. He believes he slipped and there was enough tension on the rope to cut off his air supply.

Greenan and his older brother had plans to golf. Gonzalez said Greenan told his older brother he would be in the garage and to get him when he was ready.

Greenan just finished fifth grade at Sage Elementary.

“The family is just devastated,” said Gonzalez. “This has been very difficult on them.”

By Doug McMurdo

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