LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The performer, 27-year-old Tiago Klimeck was one of the actors from a local theater company taking part in an independent production of the play in the city of Itarare earlier this month.

Klimeck died after spending more than two weeks in a medically induced coma due to extensive brain injuries from a prolonged lack of oxygen after accidentally hanging himself during the play. He died in the Hospital Santa Casa de Misericordia, in the neighboring city of Itapeva.

The cause of death was not immediately available, although photos taken by a local photographer show the final moments of the play as Klimeck as Iscariot, hangs himself as described in the book of Matthew.

Janaina Carvalho, a member of the theatre group told reporters. "I started talking to Tiago and asked him to help us to take the rope. When I realized he did not answer, I and other actors call for help."

Klimeck was unconscious when removed from the tree, and immediately rushed to the hospital. Scans found the incident caused cerebral anoxia due to lack of oxygen to the brain, leading to a medically induced coma. The actor was placed on life support following the tragedy, and removed just over two weeks later on April 22 when he passed.

Police investigator Jose Victor Bassetti says that this was the third year the local fire department had allowed the theater company uses the harness for the play and that Klimeck was not supervised because he knew how to use the equipment.

The harness, along with the rope used in the play, is now being analyzed at the Criminal Institute of Sorocaba.

"One of the actors came over to me, desperate, explaining there was someone unconscious hanging from the rope and that he wanted to cut it," Luiz Carlos Rosner, who owns a sandwich cart next to the city square where the play was taking place. "I was a little worried about giving him a knife in the middle of the crowd."

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