The 12-year-old boy died after taking part in the deadly blackout challenge.
Police were called to an address in West Yorkshire, U.K., after paramedics tried to save the young boy who tragically lost his life.
The child, called Sebastian, was celebrating his younger brother’s First Holy Communion, when he tried out the trending, but deadly, challenge.
Emergency services were called to the house at 6:06 p.m. on June 27, but despite immediate medical attention, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Enquiries to establish ‘exactly what happened’ are underway, as the act had been trending on social media.
Sebastian’s parents have since launched a GoFundMe page, to support the family with funeral expenses, psychological support and daily costs.
In a statement attached to the page, which has now raised nearly £7,000, they said: “Sebastian was only 12 years old. A boy full of dreams, passion, and incredible talent.
“He taught himself to play the guitar and keyboard, and he loved to draw. Always smiling, kind, and full of joy – everyone who met him was touched by his gentle spirit.”
Emergency services attempted to save the young boy. Credit: GoFundMe
Speaking about his death, they added: “Sebastian lost his life because of an online challenge… that one moment online changed everything.”
Following the tragic ordeal, the parents offered advice to others, with the aim of preventing it from ever happening to another child.
“We ask you – as parents, guardians, friends:
“Talk to your children about what they do online.
“Ask what they watch, who they talk to, what inspires them. Be present.
“Don’t assume ‘my child would never do that.’
“The online world can be as dangerous as the real one – sometimes even more so.”
Police are not treating the incident as suspicious, but investigations are ongoing.
The infamous ‘challenge’ involves choking oneself to induce a brief euphoria, often with a scarf or another item.
However, the act can lead to brain damage or, in severe cases, death.
Speaking of the heartbreaking reality, the parents added: “What happened is a tragedy beyond words.
“No parent should ever have to bury their child.
“No one should ever endure such heartbreak.”
The family noted they had done everything to keep Sebastian safe throughout his childhood.
The page says: “They would have given him the stars. Sadly, one brief moment changed everything.
“A dangerous internet challenge took his life.”
But he’s not the only young person to have fallen victim of an online challenge that was promoted online.
In fact, the parents of four British teenagers who died in 2022 have filed a lawsuit against the app.
The family members alleged that the platform’s algorithm served content to their children that incited harm and danger.
The act which killed the 12-year-old boy is known on the platform as the ‘blackout challenge,’ or the ‘scarf challenge.’