A 9-year-old Texas girl, JackLynn Blackwell, died after accidentally strangling herself while attempting the viral “blackout challenge,” her family said. The incident occurred on February 3 at the family’s home in Stephenville. Her father, Curtis Blackwell, found her motionless in the backyard with a cord wrapped around her neck and performed CPR until emergency responders arrived.
The blackout challenge involves participants intentionally choking themselves to induce temporary unconsciousness or a euphoric high. JackLynn had recently shown her grandmother a video depicting the dangerous activity before the fatal incident.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 80 children have died from this online trend. Social media platforms have started blocking videos related to the challenge or issuing viewer warnings, but critics, including JackLynn’s parents, say these measures come too late.
Curtis Blackwell called on social media companies to take greater responsibility for the content promoted on their platforms, highlighting the role of algorithms that can lead children from harmless to hazardous videos within minutes. He emphasized the particular risks to younger children whose brains may not be fully developed and who are more easily influenced.
The family’s tragedy has renewed calls for stronger controls on harmful viral challenges circulating on social media, emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent further deaths.
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