Another youngster has died after attempting the deadly internet “blackout challenge,” which has been linked to several youth deaths. 14-year-old Leon Brown died just weeks after his 12-year-old friend, Archie Battersbee, who was said to have succumbed to the same viral disease.
“It went horribly wrong,” mother Lauryn Keating, 30, told the Daily Record of the tragic event, which occurred when she discovered her son Leon unconscious in his bedroom at their home in Cumbernauld, UK, on Aug. 25.
“We were made aware of the sudden death of a 14-year-old boy at Ochilview Court in Cumbernauld around 8 a.m. on Thursday, 25 August 2022,” a police spokesperson stated. “There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.”
Later, Keating discovered that her son had taken part in the viral blackout challenge — one of many mortal trends to spread via TikTok. This game entails a type of self-strangulation where users try to see how long they can go without breathing, which can sometimes restrict oxygen to the brain and lead to seizures, serious injury or death.
“One of Leon’s friends told me he had been doing the challenge on Facetime with them after seeing it on TikTok,” the mother spoke of the day her child was killed with great distress. “I had heard of this challenge, because of what happened to Archie Battersbee.”
She continued, “My Leon thought he would be the one to try it first. Him and his friends probably thought it was a laugh and a joke.”
Brown, on the other hand, attempted to turn around and flee, but he fell unconscious and never awoke. “[A friend] said they thought they would wake up,” said Keating. “But Leon didn’t come back around.”
The grieving parent called her late pride and joy “happiest, funniest wee boy ever,” noting that he was a “class clown” who “liked to make people laugh.”
She continued, “Everything was always a joke and a carry on to Leon. He was just a wee cheeky boy. But he meant so much to me.”
Keating’s son unfortunately passed away, but she is using his story to teach others and prevent future tragedies.
“You just don’t expect your own child to do it,” the Scot stated. “Please warn them, these online challenges aren’t worth their lives.”
“They aren’t worth ‘likes’ or whatever they are doing it for,” added Keating during a farewell ceremony she held in her son’s honor.
His classmates and friends released balloons in his honor, while a soccer jersey signed by his buddies was placed on a park railing, according to the Daily Record. Meanwhile, Brown’s loved ones started a GoFundMe campaign to assist them during this difficult time.
After the tragic incident, TikTok released a statement expressing their condolences to the Keating family: “Our deepest sympathies go out to Leon Brown’s family during this incredibly difficult time. The safety of our community is our priority and we take any claim about a dangerous challenge very seriously.”
TikTok, a Chinese-owned video platform, stated that it currently prohibits such material and will delete it if discovered. Meanwhile, TikTok users are encouraged to report the challenge by clicking the symbol that says “Report.”
The app is reportedly filled with videos of the blackout challenge, which can be deadly, despite its attempts to limit such content. “I went on TikTok and wrote out words similar to blackout challenge,” Keating said. “The amount of video results that came up on it is ridiculous.”
Recently, a trend of youths completing stunts has arisen, leading to multiple deaths. For example, in August, 12-year-old Brit Archie Battersbee passed away after completing the blackout challenge. He had been found unresponsive at his Essex home in April and was placed on life support due to Brain injury; however, he died six days later even though his family fought for treatment options.
TikTok is also being sued for wrongful death in the United States after two young girls from California took their own lives while watching videos of the “blackout challenge.”
“TikTok has invested billions of dollars to intentionally design and develop its product to encourage, enable, and push content to teens and children that defendant knows to be problematic and highly detrimental to its minor users’ mental health,” the lawsuit read.
TikTok declined to comment to The Washington Post. However, in the past, it has insisted that it is not to blame for the problem, saying “choking game” injuries among teens date back decades before the blackout challenge.
