Washington:
A child was behind the Facebook posting that asked whether US President Barack Obama should be assassinated, the Secret Service announced on Thursday and called it a "prank" that would not lead to prosecution.
The agency declined to release the juvenile's name, age or residence.
The Facebook posting, put up on Saturday but since removed, posed a quiz to readers, "Should Obama be killed?" The options were no, may be, yes, and "yes, if he cuts my health care."
Secret Service agents -- who investigate all potential threats against presidents -- spoke with the child and parents, and determined that there was no intent to harm Obama, agency spokesman Ed Donovan said.
"This is something we classified as a mistake on the juvenile's part," Donovan was quoted as saying by USA Today. "Case closed," he said.
The poll was not created by Facebook, but by an independent person using an add-on application that had been suspended from the site, Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said earlier this week.