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A 21-year-old father and talented body piercer has been killed in mysterious circumstances while using equipment at an Auckland primary school's newly installed playground.
His grieving family say police have still not told them the exact circumstances of their son's death, but the man's father told the Herald on Sunday they understood it occurred after a stunt involving a metal t-bar went horribly wrong.
Daniel Cocks, father of a 7-month-old baby boy, Jaxon, was at Forrest Hill School's playground on Auckland's North Shore with his girlfriend and dog when the accident occurred, early last Sunday.
The man's younger brother told the Herald on Sunday Cocks had "made his own flying fox. He got this metal chain and slid down the thing. He did that a couple of times then he wanted to try with no hands... It ended up strangling him".
His father Alan Cocks said police had not yet released to him the official version of events. "As far as I understand he was fooling around and something went wrong."
He said his son's girlfriend, who witnessed the tragedy, was too traumatised to talk about what happened. "It was just an accident, a hideous error of judgement for which Daniel paid the price. He was a beautiful boy with a free spirit who is leaving behind a legacy... He was so looking forward to his first Christmas with his son."
About 400 people attended Daniel's funeral service on Wednesday, his father said, including family, friends and clients he had pierced at Destiny Hair in Takapuna. His boss at Destiny, who wanted to be identified as Gloria, said Daniel had worked there for four years. "He was very artistic. His long-term ambition was to be a tattooist."
Father Alan said the service was a great send-off and tribute. "To see all the lives he touched... He was a naughty boy, with a big heart, he lived life a bit rough, he lived a full life, more than enough for a number of lifetimes. He was completely non-judgmental. His love and acceptance for others is something I admire and honour."
He said rumours the death had been caused by malfunctioning playground equipment, or that the young father had taken his own life were "absolutely" false.
Police would not comment on the death other than to confirm a body had been found in the playground. Despite an initial CIB call-out, there were no suspicious circumstances, said senior constable Paul Herman. The matter was now with the coroner.
Staff, pupils and parents of Forrest Hill School were shocked by news of the accident.
Principal Enid Watson was reluctant to speak to media about it and refused to answer questions about the death or the playground, apart from to say: "There are absolutely no risks for our children."
