WHO WE ARE

Erik’S Cause is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit PUBLIC charitY

We believe every child deserves to be safe in the digital world.

Our programs give kids, families, and communities the tools to recognize risks early, make safer choices, and save lives—because knowledge is power.

BOARD MEMBERS

  • Judy Rogg is a psychiatric social worker and human resources professional. She graduated from Columbia University and earned her Master of Social Work from the University of California. Her experience spans both nonprofit and corporate sectors, including community integration, substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation, and employee relations with organizations such as Jewish Family Service, Promises Treatment Centers, Excellent Education Development, and RAND Corporation.

    Judy co-created Erik's Cause after her 12-year-old son, Erik Robinson, died in April 2010 from the choking challenge. With Stephanie Small, LMFT, she developed a highly effective skills-based program to help students, parents, and communities understand online harms and dangerous challenges without using explicit material.

    She is a passionate advocate working to prevent these entirely avoidable tragedies. Judy has appeared on local Los Angeles television, Nightline, and was a primary source for major coverage by Time, Fox News, and Bloomberg on social media harms. She speaks to schools, parents, law enforcement, and educators locally, nationally, and internationally, and since 2022 has worked closely alongside other parent advocates addressing federal lawmakers for legislation to effectively regulate Big Tech.

    She continues her advocacy with Fairplay and Parents for Safe Online Spaces, while also participating in direct actions sponsored by The Heat Initiative, ParentsTogether, and Parents Rise. In 2026, she closely followed the first bellwether JCCP trial in Los Angeles (sitting through several days of important testimony) while continuing with media interviews and public education, particularly around dangerous online challenges.

    The positive response to Erik’s Cause continues to drive her mission to keep kids safer online.

  • Having been as close to Erik and Judy, his death was a very devastating experience.  As she learned about these challenges being the cause of Erik’s death, she has become very passionate along with Judy’s advocacy to bring awareness and education to the forefront.  She is very relational and can articulate in a lay way the severity of this epidemic, how it can impact families, positive ways parents and mentors can learn and do something about it.  She wants to be involved in order to help save lives, which was Erik’s desire in life and her doing so honors his appetite for life.  With respect to her interpersonal and management skills, she brings these strong skills to the philanthropic aspect of what Erik's Cause intends to do, i.e., fundraising, organizing events, outreach to potential donors, etc. as well as attending events to promote awareness.

  • Presently living in Texas, Cynthia used to live in Southern California with her husband and three children.  Her oldest son was one of Erik’s closest friends for many years and Erik was akin to a fourth child in her home.  Erik’s death left a permanent hole in her family’s life which will never be completely healed.  Erik’s death has changed her life and that of her family and she has become a passionate advocate to spread awareness as much as she can.  Cynthia has worked in the legal field for 20+ years and works with a diverse client base.  Her experience brings organizational skills to effectuate projects to Erik’s Cause.  She is tireless in wanting to bring awareness to as many communities as possible.

  • Myles Rogg is a Los Angeles based real estate investor, developer, and broker with over 15 years of experience. He currently leads acquisitions and development at Rogg Partners, is a managing partner at Mack Sennett Studios, and is an agent with Paloma Realty Partners. Through his work, Myles focuses on creating thoughtful spaces and collaborating closely with investors and owner-users to bring projects to life.

    While Erik was Myles’ cousin, he always treated Erik like the younger brother he never had. Growing up near each other in Santa Monica, Myles was proud of the young man Erik was becoming, which made his passing especially devastating. Judy’s work to raise global awareness around the dangers of the choking game and the risks posed by unchecked technology has turned a tragedy into a mission. Myles is committed to supporting that mission and helping advance the cause in any way he can.

  • Annie McGrath is a banking leader, parent advocate, and nationally engaged voice for children’s online safety. She holds an MBA from Marquette University and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and currently serves as a Branch Manager at UMB Bank.

    Annie’s advocacy was born out of unimaginable loss. In 2018, her son, Griffin “Bubba” McGrath, passed away after attempting an online “pass-out challenge.” Since then, Annie has dedicated her life to ensuring no other family experiences a similar tragedy.

    She is a founding member of ParentsSOS and has traveled to Washington, D.C. many times to support legislation aimed at protecting children from online harms. 

    Working alongside Judy at Erik’s Cause, Annie continues to amplify critical conversations around online safety and prevention. Through advocacy, education, spreading awareness, and legislative efforts, she is committed to driving meaningful change and creating a safer online world for children everywhere.

EXPERTS & ALLIES

  • Patricia Russell, M.D., is a primary care and urgent care physician in Tacoma, Washington. She earned her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1993. Dr. Russell is board certified in family medicine and is a member of the Washington State and Pierce County Medical Societies.

    After her son Colin died in 2005 from the choking game, Dr. Russell became a leading national advocate for awareness, research, and prevention. At that time, there were only a few medical publications and limited public health warnings addressing oxygen deprivation activities.

    SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS:

    • Trish brought this issue to the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and co-authored its subsequent formal study on the topic.  She has worked tirelessly to increase medical and public health understanding of pass-out games and their dangers.

    • Trish helped secure an official ICD-10-CM code for injuries related to the choking game and pass-out activities. Her 2012 proposal was endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and approved by the Committee, creating a critical tool for medical identification, data collection, and prevention.

    PUBLICATIONS:

    • McClave JL, Russell PJ, Lyren A, O’Riordan MA, Bass NE. The Choking Game: Physician Perspectives. Pediatrics 2010; 125:82-7 [E Pub-ahead of print December 14, 2009].

    • Andrew TA, Macnab A, Russell P. Update on "The Choking Game". J Pediatr. 2009 Dec;155(6):777-80.

    • Toblin RL, Paulozzi LJ, Gilcrist J, Russell PJ. Unintentional Strangulation Deaths from the “Choking Game” Among Youths Aged 6-19 Years - United States, 1995-2007. J Safety Res 2008;39(4):445-8.

    • CDC: Unintentional Strangulation Deaths from the “Choking Game” Among Youths Aged 6-19 Years: United States, 1995-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal WklyRep. 2008; 57(6):141-144. 

  • Patricia Russell, M.D., is a primary care and urgent care physician in Tacoma, Washington. She earned her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1993. Dr. Russell is board certified in family medicine and is a member of the Washington State and Pierce County Medical Societies.

    After her son Colin died in 2005 from the choking game, Dr. Russell became a leading national advocate for awareness, research, and prevention. At that time, there were only a few medical publications and limited public health warnings addressing oxygen deprivation activities.

    Significant Achievements:

    • Trish brought this issue to the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and co-authored its subsequent formal study on the topic.  She has worked tirelessly to increase medical and public health understanding of pass-out games and their dangers.

    • Trish helped secure an official ICD-10-CM code for injuries related to the choking game and pass-out activities. Her 2012 proposal was endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and approved by the Committee, creating a critical tool for medical identification, data collection, and prevention.

    Publications:

    • McClave JL, Russell PJ, Lyren A, O’Riordan MA, Bass NE. The Choking Game: Physician Perspectives. Pediatrics 2010; 125:82-7 [E Pub-ahead of print December 14, 2009].

    • Andrew TA, Macnab A, Russell P. Update on "The Choking Game". J Pediatr. 2009 Dec;155(6):777-80.

    • Toblin RL, Paulozzi LJ, Gilcrist J, Russell PJ. Unintentional Strangulation Deaths from the “Choking Game” Among Youths Aged 6-19 Years - United States, 1995-2007. J Safety Res 2008;39(4):445-8.

    • CDC Unintentional Strangulation Deaths from the “Choking Game” Among Youths Aged 6-19 Years: United States, 1995-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal WklyRep. 2008; 57(6):141-144. 

  • Mike Bleak is a semi-retired Detective with the Cedar City, Utah Police Department, a Field Investigator for the Utah State Office of the Medical Examiner, and an Iron County Commissioner. 

    During more than 30 years in law enforcement, he served in Patrol, SWAT, Community Oriented Policing, supervision, and death investigation. He is one of only a handful of Medicolegal Death Investigators to hold board certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (D-ABMDI).

    Mike is a national educator on deadly social media challenges, particularly the Blackout Challenge, also known as the choking game. Drawing from his own investigations, he trains law enforcement and medical examiners to recognize the critical differences between suicide and accidental asphyxia deaths.

    He also instructs for Utah’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Division (POST) in child abuse, sexual abuse, forensic interviewing, interrogation, death investigation, and in-custody death cases, and regularly lectures nationwide to law enforcement, mental health, and education professionals.

  • Alex Packer is an author, educator, and developmental psychologist specializing in adolescence, substance abuse prevention, and parent education. He holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Educational and Developmental Psychology from Boston College.

    He served for many years as President and CEO of FCD Educational Services and now serves as President Emeritus. Prior to FCD, he was Headmaster of Parkmont School in Washington, D.C., an alternative school for students ages 11–15, and Director of Education for the Capital Children’s Museum.

    A recognized expert in youth risk behavior, Dr. Packer served on the Authors Advisory Council of the Hazelden Foundation and has appeared widely in television, radio, and national media on parenting, adolescent development, etiquette, and substance abuse prevention.

    He also played an important role in helping shape Erik's Cause’s video “Navigating Social Media Challenges” and has been a strong advocate for choking game awareness and prevention since Erik’s death, working to ensure the issue is included in school risk prevention programs.

All programs & services are free of charge, Always

every donation supports life-saving education

Please explore our website, read our material,
share your story with us, tell a friend,
share with others, join our cause and save kids' lives!

WHY I FIGHT

  • I lost my only child to something kids believed was safe.   Now I work to make sure other families don’t.

  • Erik was a bright 6th Grader.. An “A” student, Boy Scout, and athlete.  At just 11 years old, he was already corresponding with the United States Military Academy (West Point) to ensure he would meet their physical requirements.

    He had plans.
    He had direction.
    He was fully engaged in life.

  • One day he was fine.  Later that day, he wasn’t.

    He was resuscitated and placed on life support.  That evening, detectives told us this wasn’t a suicide… it was something called the “choking game.”

    We didn’t believe them. 
    He was too smart to do something like that.

  • The next day, when it was confirmed Erik had no remaining brain activity, we let him go.

    At the time, we publicly called it a “tragic accident.”  Because we truly believed that Erik would never intentionally do something so dangerous.

  • Within days, a student broke the kids’ “code of silence”

    Erik had been seen at school with another boy—showing each other how to choke themselves and each other.

    Soon after, I discovered there were thousands of videos online—under many different names—showing kids how to do this.

    They said:

    • it was safe

    • it was fun

    • not to listen to parents

    • and dared others to try

    As the years have passed, more and more videos have flourished over ALL platforms.

  • Whether Erik saw it online—or learned it from another child—we may never know.

    But the reality is clear:  Kids were doing this.   And they didn’t know it could kill them.

  • These deaths are often misclassified.  A suicide and an accidental death from this activity can look the same physically.  Without deeper investigation, cases are frequently labeled as suicide—and closed.

  • I lost my only child to something kids believed was harmless.

    Now I focus on:

    • awareness

    • education

    • prevention

    Because this is preventable.