Ohio Boy, 12, Dies After Participating in Viral TikTok Challenge

A mother in Ohio is mourning the death of her 12-year-old son who passed away after doing the trending TikTok "blackout challenge."

Previously, Blavity covered the challenge in which contestants attempt to choke or hold their breath until they pass out. They then stop breathing as a result of this.

Boy Dies While Trying TikTok Challenge

Before 9:30 p.m., Tristan Casson's mother Talor Davis reportedly phoned Richmond Heights police. She said that after seeing their brother unconscious in his bedroom, her other boys FaceTimed her. Davis claims that she was only a few minutes away from her house.

She told Cleveland 19: "They contacted me and said, 'Mom, Tristan is dead,' and I immediately started to worry."

He said, "Tristan is dead, Tristan is dead," and as he turned the camera around, I could see Tristan's face, I thought, "What are we talking about?"

Casson was taken by emergency medical personnel to Hillcrest Hospital. When it proved impossible to revive him, he was declared dead. Mayor Kim Thomas and Richmond Heights Police Chief Thomas Wetzel both sent their sympathies to the family. An official inquiry into the little boy's death, according to Chief Wetzel, is currently underway.

The News-Herald, on the other hand, reports that asphyxiation by suicide is thought to be the cause of death. The mother of Casson opposes the notion of suicide. Davis is adamant that her son wasn't suicidal and that his death was caused by asphyxiation. She says he was regrettably only adhering to a fad online.

She claimed Tristan constantly adhered to the newest dancing styles and fashion fads from TikTok. Davis told Cleveland 19 that Tristan "couldn't wait for Christmas and the basketball season to start."

"He was enthusiastic about the future, and we frequently discussed our ambitions. He cherished both his friends and family. Like peanut butter and jelly, he and his siblings get along well." Davis continued by gushing about her son's intelligence.

Tristan's mother expressed how "proud" he felt to be the first student at Richmond Middle School to receive a drone pilot's license. Davis' desire to promote parental social media monitoring is motivated by the loss of her son. She maintained that she frequently looked at her son's phone, but the last time she did so, his search history was unobscured. She stated that "TikTok needs to govern what it displays on its platform."

TikTok 'Blackout' Challenge Victims

In a 2008 study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 82 young people had passed away after participating in "the choking game." People would choke themselves or another person on purpose in an effort to experience euphoria. The "choking game" has resurfaced as the "blackout challenge," according to a recent article.

At least "15 youngsters aged 12 or younger have died in the previous 18 months as a result of its comeback," according to statistics. Tanisha Watson, a family friend, set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the boy's burial costs because she "loved" him.

"I want TikTok will stop these problems from being circulated," she remarked. "It is destroying our children,"

In addition to the battle being ended, Casson's mother also wants her son to be remembered as a bright, kind, joyful, and loving guy. He cherished his family, friends, and dancing.

@YouTube