Why These Parents Posted a Horrifying Video of Their Child Being Silently Strangled

Ten years after accidentally capturing their child's near-death experience on a family video, Nicky and Nate Walla are hoping that their son's horrifying experience can save the lives of others.

Gavin Walla was just 7 years old when his mom was filming his twin brothers playing in their stroller at their home in Wisconsin. As she was recording, she turned around to grab the phone, and when she turned back around, Nicky found an unimaginable sight: Gavin hanging motionlessly with their blinds' pull cord wrapped around his neck.

The disturbing video captures Nicky's screams as she drops the camera and calls 911 as Gavin's father resuscitates his son. While Gavin and his family consider themselves the lucky ones — and industry standards have changed to ensure that no cord is longer than 7.25 inches, which is too short to strangle a child — the Walla family still wants parents to be aware of the "silent killer" that could be in their home.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 100 children have died in window-blinds-cord accidents since Gavin's chilling experience. "I'm glad it's out there," Gavin, now 17, said. "It saved the lives of other children that have been fortunate enough to have parents who have seen the video."