xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"

        onload="run()">

    <tree id="tr" flex="1">

        <treecols>

            <treecol/>

        </treecols>

        <treechildren>

            <html:optgroup id="group">

                <html:option id="victim" label="never see this"/>

            </html:optgroup>

        </treechildren>

    </tree>

    <script type="text/javascript">

    function run() {

        group = document.getElementById("group");

        tc = document.createElement("treechildren");

        group.appendChild(tc);

        v = document.getElementById("victim");

        v.remove();

        v = null;

        tree = document.getElementById("tr");

        col = tree.columns[0];

        alert(tree.view.getItemAtIndex(1, col)); 

    }

    ]]></script>

</window>