A boy in Oklahoma died Monday after he attempted the TikTok “blackout” challenge, police say.
The boy, who lived in Bethany, was found unresponsive at Western Oaks Apartments with ligature marks around his neck Monday night, as officials from the Bethany Police Department say he was taken to OU Children’s Hospital and died around 6:50 a.m. Tuesday.
Police have found that family members believe the boy’s death was not a suicide, but rather an attempt at the TikTok challenge, which a 12-year-old in Colorado died from a few months back after attempting it himself.
In January, a 10-year-old girl in Italy also died after reportedly attempting the challenge.
The challenge encourages users to choke themselves until they lose consciousness.
BPD is encouraging parents to monitor their children’s social media activity.
“The loss of a loved one is very traumatic to all and our condolences go out to the family. We would like to warn parents to stay involved with their children and take the time to look what they are doing on social media. Now more than ever due to the lockdowns, kids are bored and looking to occupy their time. Social media is a very influential part of a child’s life and should be heavily scrutinized by parents,” police officials said in the news release, according to Koco 5.
