In The News
A Chicago mother wants other parents to know the potential dangers of a video game after she claims it may have contributed to her 10-year-old daughter's suicidal thoughts.
Brittany Kimble said her first clue came when her daughter asked her to make sure a specific song was played at her funeral.
“I had a conversation with her and from that conversation, she told me she had a plan to kill herself,” Kimble said.
Despite parental controls, Kimble said her daughter learned about the game Yandere Simulator from a post on YouTube.
As reported from Medical Xpress:
"...the "Benadryl Challenge" has already killed one teen and sent others to the ER, experts warn.
According to News4 in Oklahoma City, one 15-year-old girl suffered a fatal overdose while reportedly trying the challenge late last month. Other cases of kids being rushed to the hospital after similar incidents are popping up nationwide.
Read more: TikTok Benadryl Challenge Has Killed At Lease One Teen
A new internet challenge targeting children could be deadly, and tech experts believe it’s spreading rapidly online.
Researchers suspect the “Momo challenge” may be moving into the greater Cincinnati area, if it hasn’t already.
“I’d be shocked if it isn’t, just based on the fact that it seems to have gone viral very quickly,” said FOX19 NOW’s Tech Expert Dave Hatter.
The game is believed to have originated on Facebook, but now works within the walls of a smartphone messaging app called “WhatsApp.” Hatter said WhatsApp is an incredibly useful app for the millions who use it for appropriate reasons, though in this case, Hatter said it’s very dangerous.
Read more: MOMO Challenge Targeting Children Could Be Deadly
The suicide rate among 10- to 14-year-olds doubled between 2007 and 2014, for the first time surpassing the death rate in that age group from car crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2014 alone, 425 middle schoolers nationwide took their own lives.
