Nnamdi Ohaeri Jr., a Nigerian teenager residing in Murrieta, a town in southern California, United States of America, has died after taking part in a dangerous social media challenge.
According to KTLA, a television station in California, 13-year-old Ohaeri, popularly known as Deuce, was found unresponsive in his room on February 3.
His parents subsequently said he died from a dangerous social media challenge.
While speaking on the incident, Nnamdi Ohaeri Sr., the deceased’s father, said his entire family members spent time together on February 2, a day before his son died.
“We came home, they showered, we were watching the Grammys, he was excited that Kendrick Lamar was sweeping all the categories,” Ohaeri Sr. said.
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The teenager was subsequently found unresponsive in his room in the morning of the following day. Upon the discovery, his mother was said to have performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him while his father dialled 911 and rushed to a neighbour for help.
Ohaeri Jr. was later pronounced dead. At the time he died, it was believed he had taken his own life.
When his parents later carried out an investigation, however, they soon discovered that the deceased teenager had learned of a social media game in which children were making themselves pass out.
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“I heard something where this young person tried to make themselves pass out and I guess they came back from it,” Ohaeri Sr. said.
The teenager’s parents said he did not have social media accounts and that his phone had strict parental controls. They believe he learned of the game from other students at school.
Ohaeri Jr. was the eldest of four boys.
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