- Michael Jensen, 36, from Oklahoma, was arrested on a child neglect count
- Jensen is accused of instructing his son to light himself on fire and shoot himself in the head to end his life
- The 12-year-old poured lighter fluid on his shirt and lit it on fire, but did not shoot himself
- Boy’s grandparents were able to put out the flames and he suffered only minor burns
Authorities have arrested an Oklahoma man for allegedly giving his 12-year-old son advice on how to kill himself.
Authorities said Friday that the boy suffered minor burns after following his father’s suggestion that he douse himself with lighter fluid and light himself on fire.
Sheriff’s Maj. Coy Jenkins said 36-year-old Michael Jensen was arrested on Wednesday on a child neglect warrant.
Michael Joseph Jensen was arrested on a child neglect warrant for allegedly giving his 12-year-old son advice on how to kill himself by lighting himself on fire
Jenkins said the son had previously attempted suicide and was living with his grandparents when Jensen visited the family in Inola on Wednesday.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Roger County sheriff’s deputies were called to the grandparents’ home after a report of a suicide attempt.
The 12-year-old was found trying to suffocate himself with a plastic bag, but his relatives managed to rescue him by tearing a hole in the bag.
The child’s family members told police that Jensen then told him son that suffocating himself would not work because medics would be able to save his life, reported KFOR.
Bad joke: Authorities don’t believe that Jensen (pictured in a mugshot from last year) was serious when he told his son how to kill himself
Instead, Jensen allegedly advised his son that if he wanted to successfully end his life, he needed to set himself on fire and shoot himself in the head simultaneously, according to the charging document.
The 12-year-old followed the first portion of the advice and self-immolated using camper lighter fluid that he poured on his shirt, but escaped with only minor burns after his grandparents extinguished the flames, reported Pauls Valley Daily Democrat.
Jenkins said authorities don’t believe that Jensen was serious when he told his son to set himself on fire and shoot himself in the head, but the dad’s comments started the chain of events that followed.
For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255