A 13-year-old boy from Greenfield, Ohio has sadly passed away after attempting the TikTok “Benadryl Challenge”.
Jacob Stevens died after nearly a week on a ventilator after consuming extreme amounts of the over-the-counter antihistamine in an attempt to induce hallucinations, his family told ABC6.com.
His father, Justin Stevens, said in an interview that soon after taking part in the trend, he began seizing. He was then rushed to the hospital and unfortunately pronounced brain dead.
“When he did, it all came at once, and it was too much for his body,” Stevens explained to the outlet, sharing that the challenge was to take 12 to 14 pills of the allergy drug.
Source: (Justin Stevens / Facebook)
“No brain scan, there was nothing there. They said we could keep him on the vent that he could lay there, but he will never open his eyes, he’ll never breathe, smile, walk or talk,” he added.
Jacob is remembered as someone who “enjoyed listening to music, playing football, and hanging out with his friends” in his obituary. A GoFundMe started by the teen’s aunt, Ashley Dean, stated, “No mother should have to say goodbye to their baby.”
A representative for TikTok shared that the platform’s “deepest sympathies go out to the family.”
“At TikTok, we strictly prohibit and remove content that promotes dangerous behavior with the safety of our community as a priority. We have never seen this type of content trend on our platform and have blocked searches for years to help discourage copycat behavior,” the statement added.
“Our team of 40,000 safety professionals works to remove violations of our Community Guidelines and we encourage our community to report any content or accounts they’re concerned about.”
The Food and Drug Administration has raised the alarm about overdoses tied to the “Benadryl Challenge” on TikTok for years.
Benadryl contains diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that temporarily relieves certain symptoms. These include hay fever, upper respiratory allergies, or the common cold, such as a runny nose and sneezing. The FDA states that it is safe and effective when used as recommended. Subsequently, higher doses can cause serious heart troubles, seizures, coma, or even death.
Consumers and parents should store Benadryl and other over-the-counter medications and prescription medicines out of the reach of children, the FDA said.
Let us please keep the family members affected by this tragedy in our prayers.
