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Grieving Mom Turns to Faith After 4-Year-Old Son Accidentally Hangs Himself

CBN

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The mother of a 4-year-old boy who accidentally strangled himself in a Minnesota thrift store says her faith is helping her through the tragedy. 

Ryu Pena died March 18 while he and his grandmother shopped at Again Thrift & More in Mankato.

In an interview with CBN News, Denyce Gonzalez, the boy's mother, described how her son always enjoyed life.

"He was just a free spirit," said Gonzalez. "Always smiling, always so joyful, always being happy, playful, adventurous."  

Ryu slipped away from his grandmother to play in an empty dressing room, while she tried on clothes.

Police say the hoodie he was wearing got caught on a coat hook when he climbed on a bench inside the fitting room.

The boy's feet couldn't reach the floor, so he hung there and suffocated, all while his grandmother and other's frantically searched for him.  

By the time he was found, it was too late.

Gonzalez said while she questions why this happened, she does not blame God for her son's death.

"After this happened a lot of parents came forward and told me, 'Hey this happened to my child, or I know somebody close to me that this happened to.' I feel like sometime they're mad at God for what happened but we can't be mad," she said.

"We got to borrow and angel for a little while is the way I see it," she added.

Gonzalez went on to say that her faith is giving her the strength she needs right now.

"Honestly, before this happened, I really wasn't too into church," she said.

"I mean I believed in God fully and everything obviously, I just wasn't a regular at church. After this happened I feel like He's just here. I can feel His presence. I feel at peace."        

A GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for the boy's funeral, which was held March 23. Family and friends released orange balloons at the burial. 

"To everyone who was able to come and be apart of Ryu's celebration into the kingdom of heaven Thank you!!!" Gonzalez posted on Facebook.

"I know he is looking down on us smiling and will forever be happy playing with the other little boys and girls in the playground up above," she said.

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