A 32-year-old American, who died after eating dozens of cockroaches and worms to win a python worth USD 850 at a reptile store in Florida, was chocked to death, medical officials said on Tuesday.
Edward Archbold died "as a result of asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents," said the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office.
It said his airway was obstructed by bug body parts, and ruled his death was an accident. Archbold was among 20 to 30 contestants participating in the ‘Midnight Madness’ event at Ben Siegel Reptiles in Deerfield Beach on October 5, CNN reported.
The prize for participant who consumed the most insects and worms was a python worth USD 850.
Archbold swallowed roach after roach, worm after worm.
While the store did not say exactly how many Archbold consumed, the owner said that he was "the life of the party."
Soon after the contest was over, Archbold fell ill and began to vomit, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said.
A friend called for medical help. Then, Archbold himself dialled 911, the store said in a Facebook post.
Eventually, he fell to the ground outside the store, the sheriff's office said. An ambulance took him to North Broward Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
No other contestant fell ill, the sheriff's office said.