I don't know if it affects your point, but it wouldn't be quite that long ago. Someone old enough to have a 14-year-old son in 1950 would be well over a hundred now. Say the father was 25 when the son was born, 39 when he died, and now 91-99, it would be 51-60 years ago, so 1962-1971. Or if the father was 45 when the son was born, 1982-1991. Also it doesn't say the paramedic cousin realized then (or ever - it may have been the friend's interpretation of the details in question) that it was likely autoerotic asphyxiation. The interpretation may have occurred to them later.

Incidentally, there will be a death certificate on file, and possibly an autopsy report.