Parents blame TikTok challenge for death of 10-year-old daughter

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A devastated Pennsylvania family warns of the dangers of TikTok’s viral “blackout challenge” after their 10-year-old daughter died while trying to take the challenge.

The challenge – in which one participant holds their breath until they pass out – predates social media, but it has seen a resurgence on TikTok, with contestants racking up millions of views as they register for the goal. to gain viral fame.

Nyla Anderson, 10, was found unconscious in the bedroom of her Chester home last Sunday after allegedly attempting to participate in the dangerous challenge. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

“Make sure to check your kids’ phones,” her distraught mother Tawainna Anderson told ABC 7.

“You never know what you can find on their phones,” she said, biting back tears. “You wouldn’t think 10-year-olds would try this. They try because they are kids and they don’t know any better.

Anderson’s devastated family warns others of the dangers of the TikTok Challenge. “She was everything. She was a happy child, ”said mom Tawainna Anderson. “It’s a pain that won’t go away. It’s at the top of my throat. I am so hurt. »ABC7

Nyla would be at least the fifth child to die participating in the “Blackout Challenge” this year alone.

In June, 9-year-old LaTerius Smith Jr. was discovered unconscious in the family home in Tennessee. He later died in a hospital, his family then blaming TikTok for the tragedy.

Grieving mother Tawainna Anderson is begging parents to keep a close watch on their children’s social media sites. TikTok says it has taken steps to prevent users from sharing dangerous images. A search for “blackout challenge” on the social media app results in a message that reads: “Learn to recognize harmful challenges and hoaxes.” »ABC7

That same month, a 12-year-old child died after allegedly checking in to place the bet in Oklahoma.

In March, 12-year-old Colorado teenager Joshua Haileyesus was found unconscious in his home’s bathroom after going through the “blackout challenge.” He died in hospital three weeks later.

And in January, a 10-year-old Italian girl was found dead in a bathroom by her younger sister. His cell phone was nearby. It was reported that she too was trying to participate in the viral trend.

TikTok says it has taken steps to prevent users from sharing dangerous images. A search for “blackout challenge” on the social media app results in a message that reads: “Learn to recognize harmful challenges and hoaxes.” “

“Make sure to check your kids’ phones,” Nyla’s distraught mother Tawainna Anderson said. “You wouldn’t think 10-year-olds would try this. They try because they are kids and they don’t know any better.

The company allows users to report any videos that may be relevant to the challenge. The post has contacted TikTok for an official statement on the child deaths.

According to several reports, the “blackout challenge” was a popular trend in the 1990s, long before social media existed. At the time, it was labeled “the stranglehold challenge” or “the fainting game”, although the concept is the same.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified 82 “probable suffocation deaths” among people aged 6 to 19 between 1995 and 2007.

Back then, the challenge was spread by word of mouth, but the existence of social media now poses new dangers. Insider reports that challenges can spread faster and across continents due to technology.

TikTok has taken action to stop the viral challenge on its app. The Post has reached out to the company for further comment.

Nyla Anderson’s family are now warning parents to keep a close watch on their children’s cell phones, saying they had no idea their daughter would be interested in participating in the “blackout challenge.”

“She was everything. She was a happy child, ”Anderson’s mother said. “It’s a pain that won’t go away. It’s at the top of my throat. I am so hurt.

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