Texan dies after getting stuck in clothing donation box: ‘I can’t breathe!’
The man had died by the time responders were able to free him, according to the sheriff’s office. Harris County Constable's Office
A man died after becoming trapped upside-down inside a clothing donation box, authorities said. He reportedly called 911 in distress, yelling, “I can’t breathe!”
The unidentified man made the frantic call around 1:30 a.m. Monday after climbing into the donation box behind a shopping center in Spring, Texas, north of Houston, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Responders arrived within minutes but were unable to save him. Constable Mark Herman told KHOU that the man had become trapped in an “awkward position” that restricted his breathing.
“Even on the 911 call, he’s heard saying, ‘I can’t breathe, I’m having problems breathing,’” Herman said.
It was not immediately clear how or why the man ended up inside the box. Herman suggested he may have been homeless and used the incident to warn others against entering donation bins.
“These boxes are not to be accessed. They’re clearly designed and built that way,” Herman said.
Arms for Hope, the Christian nonprofit that operates the donation box, expressed condolences. “Our hearts and prayers are with the individual and their loved ones during this difficult time,” the organization said.
This is not an isolated incident. In August, a woman died after getting her head stuck inside a clothing donation box in Lodi, California, and another woman in Florida died after becoming partially trapped while attempting to retrieve items.
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