Mike Tyson's daughter dies

PHOENIX (AP) — The 4-year-old daughter of boxer Mike Tyson died at a hospital Tuesday, a day after her neck apparently got caught in a treadmill cord at her Phoenix home, police said.

Exodus Tyson was pronounced dead just before noon, police Sgt. Andy Hill said. She had been on life support and police have said their investigation showed her injury on Monday was a "tragic accident."

"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Exodus," the family said in a statement. "We ask you now to please respect our need at this very difficult time for privacy to grieve and try to help each other heal."

Police said Exodus either slipped or put her head in the loop of a cord hanging under the console. Her 7-year-old brother found her and told their mother. She took Exodus off the cord, called 911 and tried to revive her.

Responding officers and firefighters performed CPR as they took the girl to the hospital.

Former heavyweight champion Tyson was in Las Vegas at the time of the accident and flew Monday to Phoenix, where he was seen entering the hospital.

The family's home is in a modest, quiet neighborhood. Neighbors say they saw Tyson there from time to time and the children played outside regularly.

Dinka Radic, who lives across the street, said Exodus would ask her if she had any chocolate. When Radic gave her some, Exodus would hug the woman's knees and "kiss, kiss, kiss."

"She'd say 'hi' to everybody. She was really friendly," said Abdul Khalik, 53, who lives next door.

He said Exodus rode her bicycle in the neighborhood and often played with his two children and his niece. He said his 14-year-old daughter had cried all day after hearing of Exodus' death.

Ben Brodhurst, 20, who lives across the street, said Exodus' and her family went trick-or-treating at his house the last couple of Halloweens. She was "very lively, very enjoyable to be around," he said.

The neighborhood contrasts starkly with the lavish lifestyle Tyson had through his tumultuous years of boxing, when he spent tens of millions of dollars and says he had millions more stolen from him by unscrupulous associates. During two years at the height of his career, he earned $140 million.

The death of his child in such an unusual accident adds an awful chapter to the boxer's troubled life.

Tyson first began boxing in a facility for juvenile delinquents in upstate New York at the age of 12. Eight years later, he became the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in 1986. But in 1990, he was defeated by James "Buster" Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, and soon after was convicted of raping a beauty pageant contestant in Indianapolis.

Tyson, who still denies he raped the woman, served three years in prison.

A few years later, he served three months in jail for beating up two men after a minor car crash in suburban Washington.

As his career continued, so did his bizarre behavior. He bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear during a boxing match and once threatened to eat the children of heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

Although Tyson's children had lived in their unassuming neighborhood for several years, he purchased a separate home in the tony Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley in 2005 for $2.1 million, selling it two years later for $2.3 million.

In November 2007, Tyson spent 24 hours in Maricopa County's "Tent City" jail after pleading guilty to one count of cocaine possession and one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence. Police found the drug when they pulled over Tyson's car after he left a Scottsdale night club.

According to police, Tyson said after his arrest that he bought cocaine "whenever I can get my hands on it."

At Tyson's sentencing hearing, nearly a year after the arrest, his attorney David Chesnoff said his client had taken 29 drug tests without a relapse and was attending Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

Tyson had become an example of how one overcomes problems with drugs, a violent past and poor upbringing, Chesnoff said.

"He's tried his hardest," his attorney said, "despite coming from almost impossible beginnings."



by the associated press

Mike Tyson's Daughter Exodus Tyson, 4 , Was Found Hanging From a Cord on Exercise Treadmill

Exodus Tyson, the 4-year-old daughter of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is reportedly in critical condition at a Phoenix hospital after she was found hanging from a cord from an exercise treadmill.

Officials from the Phoenix Fire Department told ABC News affiliate KNXV-TV in Phoenix that a woman called 911 just after 10:30 a.m. today to report an electrocution from a treadmill cord.

But she changed her story during the call, saying instead that there had been a hanging, officials said.

When firefighters arrived at the house, they found a woman performing CPR on the girl, KNXV reported. The fire department members took over for the woman, and then took the girl to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.


Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Hill told KNXV it appeared that the treadmill cord had been wrapped around the child's neck.

Police said they believe that the incident was an accident.

The girl's 7-year-old brother reportedly told police he found the girl hanging from a cord on the treadmill.

Police said the child's mother ran into the room and freed her from the cord before starting CPR.

Tyson, the subject of a new documentary by James Toback, arrived at the hospital late this afternoon, but did not speak to reporters as he walked into the building.

"He's a really nice guy, definitely a guy I don't want anything bad happening to him, so I hope it is an accident, and I'm pretty sure it probably is an accident, and I hope everything works out," said neighbor Shafiq Khalik. "It's very tragic."

Mike Tyson one of our greatest Champions

Do you when Mike Tyson, was the World Champion. Once he held all three tittles. Do you remember or is all you can remember is all the bullshit, that Mike caused for himself.
Or should when thinking Tyson, is all you think about is his felt down?
Well I was one the biggest Mike Tyson fans.
And it broke my heart, not when he lost Buster Douglass, but what happened after.
His whole life just went down hill, he regain the tittle. Yet, he was not even close to his hey days as champion the first time.
Mike Tyson, lived a life a Greek story, he was king but fell from grace.
And now he is fighting again. But this time for his life.
Life is to damn short, to be as to live as he did. Everyone of us has problems. It is how get through them.
I know Tyson , is not all that bad. He is not a monster. Even if we all thought he was King Kong, in the ring. Well we did till he ran into Buster.
Now with this said it is brakes my Lummpy heart to see Tyson, in Las Vegas, getting paid by a hotel slash casino. To work out. I mean what is wrong with all these Boxers, that end up broke and broken down.
Don King, did a real good job in taking almost of Tyson's money.
Mike is to blame for that, Tyson, should have let Kevin Rooney, go. That one move right there is when it just started to go down hill for the Tyson camp.
Here is the most feared man on the planet and he let his tittle slip through his hands.
There is no shame to loosing to Douglass, that night.
There is shame what happened to that point, and after.
Now am still a big Tyson, fan. He may not be Boxing any more, now he can get his life together.

Am not one to be preaching not all, trust me. Yet I will not give up on myself and I will not stop fighting to get myself back in line.
So Mike with all that said, I still think you was one of the greatest HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS OF ALL TIME.
I just pray as you can look back on your life that you will see, where you missed up on. Fix what ever demons that haunt you.
I know it is hard. Hell I have to fight my own demons.
Now with all this said to you Mike, good luck. God bless.
Nuff Said