NATCHEZ &045; An 11-year-old boy was found strangled to death in an apparent accident Tuesday night, law enforcement officials said.

The child, visiting his grandparents at 315 Country Club Drive, was on the back deck playing with a rope used for calf roping, said Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell. The boy &045; whom Ferrell did not identify &045; tied the rope to a banister and was playing with it. The banister was high enough from the ground that he slipped and accidentally hanged himself, Ferrell said.

The only witnesses were two small children, a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old.

The grandmother found the boy, removed him and called neighbors who tried to administer CPR. Someone at the scene called 911, and when EMT officials arrived they also tried to administer CPR, Ferrell said.

The boy was taken to Natchez Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The coroner investigated and ruled the death a strangulation, accidental by hanging of rope, according to Ferrell.

The boy’s mother, who lives in Dallas, was not in Natchez at the time.