The Blue Whale Challenge Targeting Youths to Commit Suicide
Steve Barton
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We’re taking a moment to step away from the fantasy world of horror to touch upon the horrors of reality. It’s come to our attention from many media outlets that a new “social game” is going around referred to as the Blue Whale Challenge, which basically targets teenagers and gives them tasks to perform that lead to suicide as a means to “win.” The scariest part? This is NOT a joke.
Via MSN:
The family of a Texas teen who hanged himself says their son was involved in a ghoulish online game that calls on participants to complete a series of tasks before taking their own lives, and some schools are warning parents about the so-called Blue Whale Challenge.
Jorge Gonzalez told San Antonio television station WOAI that he wanted to caution others after his son, Isaiah, was found hanging in his bedroom closet Saturday in the family’s home with his cellphone propped up on a shoe to record his death.
A report on the boy’s death from the San Antonio Police Department does not mention the challenge. But Gonzalez’s family said in the days after the teen died, they pieced together from his social media and communication with friends that he had participated in the game. His sister, Alexis, told the TV station that a person behind the challenge had gathered personal information from Isaiah and had threatened to harm the family.
The police department did not return a message left by The Associated Press asking whether authorities were investigating the game as a factor in the case. Many parents and other authorities are skeptical that the game actually exists, citing a lack of suicides directly attributed to it.
Agent Michelle Lee of the FBI’s San Antonio office said the agency is not assisting in the investigation, but urged parents to monitor their children’s online activities.
“It’s a reminder of one of the many dangers and vulnerabilities that children face using various social media and apps online every day,” Lee said. “Parents must remain vigilant and monitor their child’s usage of the internet.”
Gonzalez is the second parent this week to tell news outlets about a child who died by suicide allegedly as a result of the game. A Georgia woman spoke Monday to CNN about her 16-year-old daughter killing herself as part of the challenge but asked that their names not be used.
We here at Dread Central find it necessary to bring this story to your attention. Committing suicide is not a challenge, and it certainly isn’t a game. The real challenge is living. The person or people behind this horrid situation will be found. They’re not game masters; they’re sociopathic predators. They will be charged. They will pay.
In the interim, please think for yourself. Do not let someone else dictate your actions. If you’re feeling down, please talk to someone you care about before doing something that there is no turning back from. For those of you out there who feel helpless, hang in there. Things get better. If you need to, please just call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Stay strong and be smart. You are loved and have a lot more loving and living to do.
Categorized:News
