A 12-year-old boy has died, and a GoFundMe page set up by a loved one claims that his death was caused by a dangerous social media challenge known as the “blackout challenge.”
According to local outlet Yorkshire Live, West Yorkshire Police confirmed that a boy died in Castleford, England, on Friday, June 27.
“Police were called by ambulance colleagues to an address in Manor Grove, Castleford, at 6:06 p.m. [on June 27] following reports of concern for the safety of a child,” the force said in a statement.
“Officers responded to the scene and took the boy to the hospital, where it was later confirmed that he had died. The West Yorkshire Coroner’s investigation is ongoing to determine exactly what happened,” the statement continued. “The incident is not being treated as suspicious.”
In a GoFundMe campaign launched shortly after the incident, the fundraiser’s organiser, Agnieszka Czerniejewska, identified the boy simply as Sebastian, writing that “a dangerous internet challenge took his life.”
“Sebastian died as a result of an online challenge,” she said, referring specifically to the blackout challenge, before mentioning his family. “His parents gave him all the love and care in the world — but that one moment online changed everything.”
The blackout challenge entails choking oneself, depriving the brain of oxygen and potentially resulting in brain damage or death. The Independent reported in 2022 that at least 20 deaths had been linked to the challenge in the previous 18 months, with 15 of the victims being 12 or younger.
“Sebastian was just twelve years old. A boy full of dreams, passion, and extraordinary talent. He taught himself to play the guitar and keyboard, and he enjoyed drawing. “He was always smiling, kind, and full of joy, and everyone who met him was touched by his gentle spirit,” according to the GoFundMe page.
“He had loving parents who did everything they could to ensure he had a safe and happy childhood.” They would have given him the stars. Unfortunately, one brief moment changed everything,” the campaign stated. “What happened was a tragedy beyond description. A parent should never have to bury their child. No one should ever go through such heartbreak.”
The organiser of the GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than $4,100 to help Sebastian’s parents, also urged other parents to “talk to your children about what they do online.”
“Ask what they watch, who they talk to, and what motivates them. Be present. Do not assume, ‘My child would never do that.’ “The online world can be as dangerous as the real one—sometimes even more so,” she wrote.
“Let [Sebastian’s death] be a quiet call to action — a reminder to stay close, talk more, and protect those we care about. So that other children could live. “So that no other parent has to go through this unimaginable pain,” Czerniejewska added. “Sebastian will remain in our hearts forever.”
The 12-year-old’s death comes just months after the parents of four British teenagers filed a lawsuit against TikTok in the United States, alleging that their children died as a result of the blackout challenge.
According to The Guardian, the lawsuit, filed in February, claimed that Isaac Kenevan, 13, Archie Battersbee, 12, Julian “Jools” Sweeney, 14, and Maia Walsh, 13, died in 2022 while attempting the challenge.
“TikTok’s algorithm purposefully targeted these children with dangerous content in order to increase their engagement on the platform and generate revenue.
TikTok made a clear and deliberate business decision that cost these four children their lives,” said an attorney with the Social Media Victims Law Centre at the time.
TikTok previously stated that searches for videos or hashtags related to the challenge had been blocked since 2020.
According to the video platform’s content guidelines, dangerous content or challenges are prohibited, will be removed as soon as possible, and users who search for this content will be directed to safety information and other resources.
