A family in Pennsylvania is trying to raise awareness about a viral TikTok challenge they believe may have resulted in the death of their ten-year-old daughter. Nylah Anderson attempted to participate in the “Blackout Challenge” while alone in her room, according to reports from ABC 7.
The so-called challenge had users holding their breath until they passed out, each trying to go for longer and longer to try and get their own piece of internet fame. While searching for the challenge now leads to a page informing users to “Learn how to recognize harmful challenges and hoaxes,” this change came too late for Nylah’s family.
“She was a butterfly,” says Tawainna Anderson, the mother of Nylah to ABC 7. “She was everything. She was a happy child. I’m so hurt. This is a pain that won’t go away. It’s at the top of my throat. I am so hurt.
Make sure you check your kids’ phones. You never know what you might find on their phones. You wouldn’t think 10-year-olds would try this. They’re trying because they’re kids and they don’t know better.”
While the challenge originally spawned and found popularity back in the 90s, known by names like “the choke challenge” or “the fainting game,” the blackout challenge recently saw a resurgence on the platform. In June, a 9-year-old Colorado boy named LaTerius Smith Jr. also died in similar circumstances.
A representative from TikTok told the New York Post, “This disturbing ‘challenge,’ which people seem to learn about from sources other than TikTok, long predates our platform and has never been a TikTok trend. We remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety and would immediately remove related content if found. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family for their tragic loss.”
Our thoughts are with the Anderson family during these challenging times,