Autopsy: Man choked to death in roach-eating contest
MIAMI (AP) - A Florida man choked to death after downing dozens of live roaches to win a contest earlier this year in which the grand prize was a python, an autopsy released Monday concluded.
Edward Archbold, 32, of West Palm Beach died as a result of "asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents," according to the report released by the Broward County medical examiner's office.
Lab tests for drugs came back negative. The death has been ruled an accident.
Archbold died after downing the bugs as well as worms in October for the contest at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach, about 40 miles north of Miami.
Messages left with the store's owner and his attorney were not immediately returned.
Archbold became ill shortly after the contest and collapsed in front of the store. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
About 30 contestants ate the insects, but authorities said none of the other contestants became ill.
Edward Archbold, 32, of West Palm Beach died as a result of "asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents," according to the report released by the Broward County medical examiner's office.
Lab tests for drugs came back negative. The death has been ruled an accident.
Archbold died after downing the bugs as well as worms in October for the contest at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach, about 40 miles north of Miami.
Messages left with the store's owner and his attorney were not immediately returned.
Archbold became ill shortly after the contest and collapsed in front of the store. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
About 30 contestants ate the insects, but authorities said none of the other contestants became ill.
There's a LOT more detail in this article: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/26/3114359/man-who-died-during-roach-eating.html - for example, the Python was worth $850
I killed a cockroach in Biloxi, just to watch it die. It wasn't pretty. I can't imagine eating one.
Good old natural selection strikes again.Â
Killed himself over a snake. It better have been one hell of an expensive morph because most normal pythons can be as cheap as $25. This is just beyond dumb. Condolences to the family though.
For a PYTHON?????
 @Robinsnest I know!
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Yuck - Yuck - Yuck - There's certainly no such thing as a "clean" cockaroach!
I'll bet there will be a lawsuit, however, it should be for stupidity - but it's sad that he lost his life over it.
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 @Laurie You can sterilize insects you know.
Super gross. Â I just could not do it for any amount of money. Â Well, maybe one roach for a million dollars and even then I am not sure.
@NWNative I have determined that I could do almost anything gross if it meant paying off my house and bills! And I have a very weak stomach, but I have a greater desire to be debt free.
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Wait, the story doesn't even report whether or not he won! I think even by Fear Factor rules he'd still get to keep the python if he did win, as long as he kept it all down until the contest was over and he'd finished everything in front of him.Â
 @MargeGunderson Yes it does: A Florida man choked to death after downing dozens of live roaches to win a contest
 @JasonM Thanks, I missed that somehow, guess I inferred it as trying to win. Time for Reading Comprehension 101.Â
 @MargeGunderson But who would care for the snake?
 @Susabelle Why do we get these updates four hours later??Â
I'll take the snake just so I can name it Lieutenant Dan.Â
You know, 'cause it ain't got no legs.Â
Classic. RIP roach eater! Hope it was worth it!Â
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@deadcandance one thing comes to mind, well a few thing 1 Darwin! 2 Natures way of thing the hurd.
 @deadcandance Because they're idiots?
Florida... why is it always you, Florida?!?!?
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 @JustMe98201 Looks like the roaches fixed a pretty severe case of stupid, even if they had to heroically give up their own lives to do so.Â
this is one way how degenerates depart this world, which is now just tiny bit a better place to live in
 @Larry*X*K Are you referring to the roaches, or the deceased man? :^D Â
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Seriously, what a horrible way to go, but one could aspirate any vomited materials and die from doing so; I don't think it was specifically the roaches.Â
 @MargeGunderson The cockroaches were the victims in this madness, so yeah, the deceased is the degenerate
That is not a way I would want to go.Â
 @Just my say The understatement of the entire evening!  Amen!
 @Just my say I am soooo with you on that one! I have an irrational fear of cockroaches as it is...I cant even imagine willingly touching them let alone put one in my mouth......OH YUCK!! I might die of a heart attack before so much as an antennae wiggled my direction........Â
 @Susabelle  @Just my say Just a bug. Seriously.
And the roaches win ...
Florida is full of crazies
@Vince they say Florida is a microcosm of the rest of America. that would explain a lot.
Wow......just when you think you have heard it all....Yuck!
"Stupid is as stupid does" -- Forrest Gump
 @The WA Mama You know, usually I have quite a bit of sympathy when some one dies, the loss of a loved one, etc.......... But what do you put on the grave marker? How do you tell Grandma?what is your obit going to say??? Death by Cockroach.......unbelievable.........
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama He didn't die from the cockroaches though. He died because he aspirated vomit. Same as many famous people like Jimmy Hendrix, John Bonham, Bon Scott. Just to name a few.
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama What a great name for a band: Death By Cockroach!Â
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I want to go in such an absurd way that people can't help but bust out laughing even through their sadness when they hear it, and every time they remember it or tell the story.
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And ideally, the better they knew me, the more they loved me, the funnier the story would be. For example, clowns really creep me out, so being crushed to death by an 800-pound clown statue.Â
 @MargeGunderson  @Susabelle  @The WA Mama Too funny!!  :)
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama Oh,and don't aim for the face, too many visible marks on them are frowned upon these days.Â
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama You ever notice chicken and eggs are rarely served together? I guess it reminds people what the egg actually is?Â
Chicken, eggs and coleslaw sounds like one of those hideous vomit bowls KFC came out with a few years ago.Â
Or like when we were in high school and made bets with awful pay-ups for the loser, such as eating a combination like that one...Â
 @MargeGunderson  @The WA Mama LOL, oh to bring back the good old days with a switch and a belt......... sigh.........  I will be just fine.... I will dream of chickens and eggs and coleslaw........Oh My!
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama Aw, sorry to read that! Don't beat yourself up, though, you can only take so much before something gives. Yelling is far better than bottling it up until you really snap and beat the snot out of them, right?Â
 @MargeGunderson  @The WA Mama It's okay, needed it, lost my cool with a teenager earlier.....or young adult.....whichever........ I needed the laugh!!
 @Susabelle  @The WA MamaSorry to keep egging you on. Just trying to wing it here.Â
 @MargeGunderson  @The WA Mama You SLAY me! Thanks for the laugh!
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama Make that "in lieu of flours" in this case...
 @MargeGunderson  @The WA Mama She was a fine example of a woman, beloved by all, donations to either Ronald McDonald House or Americans Against really Big Statues will be encouraged in lieu of flowers....
 @MargeGunderson  @The WA Mama Donations to the Coleslaw Institute will be appreciated in lieu of flowers.........
 @Susabelle  @The WA Mama Now that would be a funny way to go!Â
Six years she worked at KFC, overtime every week, often late at night and alone, never so much as a burn from grease splattering.
Then she's driving to WSU to help pry her kid's head out of the balcony safety net ropes, her car breaks down in farmland and suddenly, tens of thousands of angry chickens get their long-awaited revenge.Â
All that remained when they finally got to her was a tell-tale smear of gravy and an overlooked potato wedge. Â
 @MargeGunderson  @The WA Mama I think chickens.....I think perhaps I could be trampled by a herd of chickens......(are chickens herds?) Just not cockroaches......*shudder* anything but that......... My daughter is also terrified of clowns..........I feel bad about that, like maybe I tortured her with Ronald McDonald or something.
Man what some people will do for a free item... this is disgusting...
 @Freespeech Very true, but I think in this case his inspiration was a cool (in his mind) story to tell every time he bought python supplies, or someone came over and saw his python.Â