Updated August 26, 2026 — 6:01pm,first published 3:16pmPolice are investigating the death of a 16-year-old Sydney girl after a suspected choking act during sex.The teenager died in hospital on Tuesday night, two days after she was found unresponsive in a suburban northern beaches home.The 16-year-old died at Royal North Shore Hospital on Tuesday night.Renee NowytargerEmergency services responding to a concern for welfare at an Elanora Heights home about 5.45pm on Sunday and found the girl unresponsive.She was flown to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition, where she died on Tuesday night.Two sources with knowledge of the case confirmed the teenager is believed to have engaged in a choking act during sex.Warnings about sexual strangulation have increased amid scrutiny of violent online pornography, which experts say has warped young peoples’ understanding of sex and normalised concerning behaviour.Researchers at the University of Melbourne and University of Queensland reported in early last year that about 50 per cent of young people had engaged in choking or strangulation during sex, partly because many people mistakenly believe it can be done safely.The NSW government’s own submission to a recent parliamentary inquiry said depictions of sexual aggression including strangulation in pornography has been linked to increased intimate partner violence and a 700 per cent increased risk of homicide, citing research from 2017 by the federal government’s Australian Institute of Family Studies.Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.From our partners