Lecce prosecutors investigate death of 20-year-old student

The Prosecutor's Office in Lecce has opened an investigation into the death of Daniele Bonatesta, a 20-year-old engineering student from Collepasso, who was found hanging from a tree in his garden on September 20. While the death was initially classified as a suicide, the investigation has been reopened following a formal complaint filed by the victim's parents.

The family has raised concerns that the death may be linked to a dangerous social media challenge involving breath-holding or suffocation. They have requested forensic digital analysis of the student's computer and mobile phone to reconstruct his final hours.

Key details noted by investigators include a computer found running with a microphone connected to an online platform and a mobile phone found near the body. The family maintains that the student showed no signs of distress or psychological instability, noting he had recently begun his university studies and maintained a normal routine.