Girl, 9, dies while doing viral blackout social media challenge - parents issued tragic warning

A Texas family has issued a warning after their 9-year-old daughter died while attempting a dangerous social media trend.

Curtis and Wendi Blackwell’s daughter, JackLynn, passed away on February 3 after taking part in the so-called blackout or "choking" challenge, which dares participants to hold their breath until they pass out from lack of oxygen.

The tragedy unfolded on what had started as a completely normal morning, with JackLynn playing outside before school.

Father Recalls Horrifying Discovery

Curtis said he became concerned when things suddenly went quiet.

He went to check on his daughter near the carport, where she "always" played, and initially thought she was "bending over playing." Moments later, he realized something was seriously wrong.

"She was leaned into the cord," he said, recalling how he found her unconscious with a cord around her neck, per PEOPLE. "I got her off the cord. I tried to give her CPR until the first responders got there."

"It was the most terrifying, shocking thing I've ever seen. It was horrible to see my daughter in such a vulnerable state because of something so senseless," he continued. "That'll replay in my head for the rest of my life."

JackLynn had reportedly seen a video of the challenge beforehand and even showed it to her grandmother, who warned her: "'Don't you ever do that,'" CBS News reported.

Her parents now say they never imagined something like this could happen to their family. "It's not a joke, it's not a game, it's life and death," Curtis said. "Even if it saves one life, that life means a lot."

Parents Warn of Social Media dangers

More than a month after her death, JackLynn’s parents are urging others to be aware of how quickly children can be exposed to harmful content online.

"You could check on your kid, it could be kid-friendly videos, and then three minutes later it could be totally something dark because of the algorithms they start creating," Curtis said.

He added that many children taking part are between 9 and 14 years old, explaining: "Their brains aren't fully developed, and they are very easily influenced."

One of JackLynn’s friends also told the family she "didn’t even know little kids could die."

“Something like that makes me think that’s why these kids do all these things they see cause in their mind - they think they can’t die from it," Curtis said. "These videos don’t give warnings of what could happen, so kids think it’s okay.”

He urged other parents not to assume their children are safe. "[We] never in a million years thought this could ever happen to us and look where we’re at now," he continued. "These platforms that target our young kids need to be held accountable. Our kids need people to advocate for them against this stuff."

The distraught dad described his late child as a "beautiful angel," and shared that their family was incredibly close. "It was just the three of us, three amigos, we did everything together."

According to her obituary, JackLynn loved to sing, dance, dress up, craft, draw, paint, do puzzles, ride her bike and spend time with her family.

Similar Tragedies Spark Legal Action

JackLynn’s death comes as other families continue to raise concerns about the same viral challenge.

According to The Guardian, the parents of four British teenagers have filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming their children died in 2022 after attempting the blackout challenge, which surged in popularity on social media in 2021.

Matthew Bergman, founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, said: "It’s no coincidence that three of the four children who died from self-suffocation after being exposed to the dangerous and deadly TikTok blackout challenge lived in the same city and that they all fit a similar demographic.

"TikTok’s algorithm purposely targeted these children with dangerous content to increase their engagement time on the platform and drive revenue. It was a clear and deliberate business decision by TikTok that cost these four children their lives."

The lawsuit accuses the platform of being "a dangerous and addictive product that markets itself as fun and safe for children, while lulling parents into a false sense of security".

The social media company has said it blocks searches related to the challenge and removes harmful content; however, legal action continues, with families arguing that dangerous content is still being pushed to young users.

Featured image credit: Lacy Funeral Home