TikTok’s ‘blackout challenge’ blamed for death of 10-year-old girl

A grieving family in Pennsylvania will spend Christmas Eve bidding farewell to their 10-year-old daughter, who died participating in a TikTok challenge. Her parents are warning families to check the content their children are consuming on social media.

Check Their Phones

Nyla Anderson, died trying to complete the ‘blackout challenge’ in which participants hold their breath until they pass out.

The practice existed prior to social media, but gained popularity on TikTok, with followers who choose to participate in the challenge racking up millions of views by posting videos of themselves not breathing.

Nyla was found unconscious in the bedroom last Sunday after allegedly trying to partake in the dangerous challenge.

She was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Her heartbroken mother, Tawainna Anderson, told ABC 7:

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.

1. She is also advising other families to be extra vigilant in monitoring their children’s social media activities.

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.

Disturbing Challenge

Nyla is thought to be the fifth child to have died this year while partaking in the challenge. TikTok has deleted all videos using the #blackoutchallenge in a bid to make the platform safer.

A spokesperson told The 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.