Dangers Of Tiktok: Two Children Die After Attempting Tiktok Blackout Challenge

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A Scottish youth was found dead in his bedroom after attempting to perform a viral and dangerous Tiktok challenge.

Leon Brown was found unresponsive on August 25. The tragic discovery was made by his mother, Lauryn Keating. 14-year-old Brown had been trying out a Tiktok challenge which had previously led to the death of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee from Essex, England.

The ‘Blackout Challenge’ urges people to restrict their breathing until they fall unconscious. The low levels of oxygen in the brain can cause seizures, other serious injuries, or death.

Leon’s heartbroken mother spoke out about the terrifying online game which led to her son’s death, telling the Daily Record that : “One of Leon’s friends told me he had been doing the challenge on Facetime with them after seeing it on TikTok. My Leon thought he would be the one to try it first.

“Him and his friends probably thought it was a laugh and a joke. One of the kids who he was on Facetime with told me what he had done.

“She said they thought they would wake up. But Leon didn’t come back around.

Leon and his mother

“It went horribly wrong. I had heard of this challenge, because of what happened to Archie Battersbee.

“But you just don’t expect your own child to do it. Please warn them, these online challenges aren’t worth their lives.

“They aren’t worth ‘likes’ or whatever they are doing it for.”

Lauryn said: “I went on TikTok and wrote out words similar to blackout challenge. The amount of video results that came up on it is ridiculous.”

The tragedy of Leon’s death comes just weeks after Archie Battersbee died on August 6. Archie was also found unconscious by his mother, Hollie Dance, at his home in Essex in April this year.

The young boy had suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury and was placed on life support. He passed away after his family lost a long-running legal battle to continue the treatment that was keeping him alive.

Archie Battersbee (left: while on life support)

Hollie has publicly spoken out on her belief that Archie had participated in the Blackout Challenge.

TikTok claims in response that measures have been put in place to prevent users from sharing videos on the trend. They claim searching the term ‘Blackout Challenge’ now takes users to a safety centre on the app.

Users are also able to report any videos that contain graphic content. TikTok has deleted videos of the challenge from the platform.

A TikTok spokesperson said: “Our deepest sympathies go out to Leon Brown’s family during this incredibly difficult time. The safety of our community is our priority and we take any claim about a dangerous challenge very seriously.

“Content of this nature is prohibited on our platform and would be removed if found.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of the sudden death of a 14-year-old boy at Ochilview Court in Cumbernauld around 8am on Thursday, August 25.

“There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”