An Ohio father is warning parents after his son tragically died after participating in the ‘Benadryl Challenge.’
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Jacob Stevens, 13, died last week after participating in the challenge with his friends. According to the New York Post, Jacob’s father, Justin, stated his son’s pals were filming him taking the pills, and his body cramped up. The adolescent was taken to a local hospital and placed on a ventilator, but he died six days later when a brain scan indicated no activity.
“No brain scan; there was nothing there. They said we could keep him on the vent, that he could lay there, but he will never open his eyes; he’ll never breathe, smile, walk, or talk,” Justin said. The deadly challenge became popular in 2020 when it required the participant to take 12 to 14 pills at once so it could reportedly induce hallucinations.
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This can be extremely dangerous, as Benadryl can cause serious side effects, including rapid heartbeat, seizures, and even death, when taken excessively. The drug can also interact with other medications or health conditions, increasing the risk of harm or death.
Jacob is remembered as a boy described as “well-mannered, funny, and loving.” Justin said his son would brighten up his day whenever he was in a bad mood. However, the grieving father warned parents to monitor their children’s online activity, which can lead to devastating consequences.
“Keep an eye on what they’re doing on that phone. Talk to them about the situation. I want everyone to know about my son.”
As previously reported, a 15-year-old girl died after participating in the challenge. In response to the news, TikTok released a statement and said their guidelines do not allow content that encourages users to participate in harmful behaviors.
‘As we make clear in our Community Guidelines, we do not allow content that encourages, promotes, or glorifies dangerous challenges that might lead to injury. Though we have not seen this content trend on our platform, we actively remove content that violates our guidelines and block related hashtags to further discourage participation. We encourage everyone to exercise caution in their behavior whether online or off.’
Social media challenges are popular trends or activities shared on various platforms, typically involving individuals performing a specific action or task and then sharing it with others on social media. These challenges often become viral as more and more people participate and share their own versions of the challenge.
While many social media challenges are harmless and fun, some can be dangerous or harmful, particularly those that involve risky behavior or encourage individuals to engage in harmful activities. Examples of dangerous social media challenges in the past have included the “Tide Pod Challenge,” which involved individuals eating laundry detergent pods, and the “Bird Box Challenge,” which involved individuals performing tasks while blindfolded.