Stop tickling me or else

Change a doll's battery and it makes death threats.

TAMPA -- You have probably heard of Tickle-Me-Elmo, but what about Death-Threat-Elmo?

That's what a Tampa-area boy now has.

James Bowman loves Elmo, and his mother thought getting him the high-tech toy, which hooks up to a computer to learn phrases and the child's name would be a great gift.

But when Melissa Bowman changed the batteries earlier this week, Elmo began making the threat.

"It's not something that really you would think would come out of a toy, but after I heard it, I was kind of distraught -- (It said) Kill James," Melissa Bowman said.

Right now, the toy is off limits because James has begun repeating what Elmo says.

The video can be found here for the curious.

I always thought this Sesame street character was in need of prozac. Now we have confirmation. Was it the appearances on Rosie O'Donnell or his testifying before Congress that pushed Elmo over the edge?