12-Year-Old Dies After Attempting 'Blackout' TikTok Challenge

A 12-year-old boy in Oklahoma was found dead after allegedly taking part in a TikTok trend known as the “Blackout Challenge.”

The police, who were called to a home in Bethany on Tuesday over an "unresponsive juvenile," reached the apartment to find the boy with “ligature marks” around his neck. He was then rushed to the University of Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, where he was later declared dead, KOCO News reported.

“The preliminary investigation leads detectives to believe this incident was not a suicide attempt, but that of a TikTok Challenge or otherwise known as the ‘Black Out’ Challenge, gone wrong,” Bethany police reportedly said in a statement.

Explaining the challenge, Bethany police Lt. Angelo Orefice told KOCO News: "It all basically comes down to is where a kid tries to asphyxiate themselves to the point of unconsciousness, and then once they start to gain their consciousness back is when they get a euphoria-like feeling."

While an investigation was underway, the police warned parents of the social media trend, which could be fatal.

"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," the police department said, according to WKRN.

In March, a 12-year-old boy ended up being brain dead after taking part in the same challenge in Colorado. The victim was identified as Joshua Haileyesus. The child was found lying in the bathroom unconscious by his twin brother. At the time, the family of the boy told the local media that they want to raise awareness about the deadly TikTok challenge to prevent other people from going through the same ordeal. The TikTok challenge is also known as the “Pass-out Challenge,” “Choking Challenge,” or “Space Monkey.” “We are desperate not only to bring Joshua home but to ensure that nothing like this happens to anyone else,” the family stated. “We urge the community to spend awareness about Joshua and the real risks involved in not having knowledge of what kinds of activities children are involved in.”