Boy dies copying TV wrestlers

Two boys were imitating TV wrestlers when one of them, a burly 16-year-old, dropped the younger boy, aged nine, on this head, killing him, the dead boy’s mother said.

Derek Alexander Garland died in Roaring River, North Carolina, hours after he was injured while grappling with Jason Crabb.

‘‘They shouldn’t have been doing it,’’ said Julie Garland, Derek’s mother. ‘‘I miss my baby. I just want to warn other people.’’

She is engaged to Jason’s father. The two boys had been left alone at Garland’s home for 30 to 45 minutes.

Ms Garland said Derek loved TV wrestling, but she didn’t approve of it and tried to discourage his interest.

Jason told police Derek jumped off a bed and onto his back. That’s when

Jason, who weighs about 16 stones flipped Derek, who weighed less than five stones, onto his head.

Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the death but no charges have been filed.

Earlier this year, a Florida teenager who said he was imitating the body-slamming of professional wrestlers was convicted of murdering a six-year-old girl .

Lionel Tate, 14, was jailed for life without parole.