Massachusetts child dies after attempting TikTok challenge

The family of a Massachusetts boy who died this week wants to let the public know of the consequences of a social media challenge that has been gaining in popularity.

According to his family, On June 12th, Nate Squires, of Amherst, was found unresponsive at home after attempting to do what is known on social media platforms as the “black out challenge”.

On June 14th, Squires succumbed to his injuries and passed away.

The challenge involves intentionally trying to choke yourself or another person in an an effort to obtain a brief euphoric state or high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sister-in-law Samantha Thomas has stated that Nate’s parents Rachel and Dave want the world to know of the circumstances that surround Nate’s death to ensure that this does not happen to another family.

“All over the world families are losing children to this. Our entire family feels like the rug has been ripped out from under us. Please reach out to a child in your life and talk to them about the black out challenge. Tell them about the dangers that are out there. Tell them to reach out to an adult if they hear about someone they know attempting it. We hope Nate’s story can help you start this conversation in your home.”

A GoFundMe created for funeral expenses by Thomas has raised nearly $25,000 as of this writing.