New Sprite 'victim' confesses he lied

Beijing - A middle school student who claimed to be the second Sprite mercury-poisoning victim has confessed he poisoned himself, the Beijing police said on Thursday.

Wang Haoyong, 14, confessed to the police on Wednesday that he broke a thermometer and ate the mercury out of curiosity.

Finding himself feeling unwell, in order to avoid getting into trouble with his parents, he bought a can of Sprite and secretly put the leftover mercury into the can, according to a statement from the Beijing municipal public security bureau.