Alright, fam. It finally looks like the Tide Pod challenge is far and well behind us, and kids have since moved on to something equally stupid but thankfully not as dangerous. Drum roll, please! They’re hiding in IKEA dressers… at IKEA.
This week, a missing 11-year-old-boy in the UK was found lounging in a Malm at IKEA. When Kaden Mirza didn’t return home from school on Tuesday afternoon, his parents reported him missing. Turns out the kid was just fine and thirsty for some Internet fame, as per Mashable. The stunt was inspired by one of those whacko internet trends, says Kaden’s father, Abid. In the “24-hour challenge,” or as Abid called it the “stay in IKEA overnight and not get caught challenge,” teens attempt to spend the night inside of a business.
This nonsense started back in 2016, when two Belgian teens managed to spend the night at an IKEA. They spent hours in a closet and recorded their escapade for YouTube. Whatever happened to playing outside… or Pogs? Remember Pogs? Ever since, youngsters have been sneaking into the likes of Walmart and Chuck E. Cheese, so we can be sure that the whole of humanity is going straight to hell. Sleeping in a ball pen could be kind of comfortable, though.
While seemingly harmless compared to the insanely moronic things YouTubers get into, it’s probably best that minors stay out of businesses after hours. As South Yorkshire police noted, “warehouses and shopping departments contain large quantities of heavy stock items that could easily fall and crush someone if they are moved incorrectly.” Le duh.
“To many young people this internet craze may seem like a bit of fun that is impressive on social media,” said Detective Inspector Anna Sedgwick, “However, the risks and harm that could be caused are by no means humorous and could be catastrophic.”
Anyway, I hope that at the very least this kid was smart enough to score himself some meatballs.
