'It’s not a game': Parents say social media ‘blackout challenge’ led to 9-year-old daughter’s death — what is it?
Key Takeaways
- Nine-year-old JackLynn Blackwell died after being found with a cord around her neck.
- Parents claim a dangerous social media blackout challenge led to her death.
- Curtis Blackwell described them as the three of them, three amigos, who did everything together.
Victim profile and death
A nine-year-old girl, JackLynn Blackwell, died in her family’s backyard a month ago after being found with a cord around her neck, her parents Curtis and Wendi Blackwell said.
“A dangerous social media challenge took the life of a nine-year-old daughter, the family claimed, and warned against using such a dare”
They described her as loving karaoke and said she could sing all day, and noted she spent a lot of time on YouTube.
They said she enjoyed taking on social media challenges she found online, which seemed harmless to them until the incident.
Parental account of events
Curtis Blackwell said he found JackLynn unconscious, leaning by the carport with a cord around her neck, and he removed the cord and performed CPR until first responders arrived.
He described the moment as terrifying and said it was the most shocking thing he had ever seen.
Wendi Blackwell recalled a normal morning routine, saying JackLynn had woken up and gone out to play, but Curtis noticed it was quiet and found her by the carport.
He said he tried to save her and it was a senseless, horrible moment.
Blackout challenge context
The blackout challenge involves asphyxiating to the point of losing consciousness, and videos on social media showing people doing this circulated for years.
“A dangerous social media challenge took the life of a nine-year-old daughter, the family claimed, and warned against using such a dare”
The family said they believed JackLynn copied what she saw and became one of the 80 documented deaths from the challenge, according to the CDC.
Some social media sites now put up warnings or blocked searches for the blackout challenge, but videos continued to promote the act.
Curtis Blackwell said there are too many kids lost for companies not to be held accountable in his eyes.
Family call for accountability
Months after losing their daughter, the Blackwells said they are turning grief into action in the hope of saving other lives.
Curtis Blackwell said that even if it saves one life, that life means a lot.
They called for more accountability, saying they do not want other parents to face a similar loss and arguing that platforms' algorithms contribute to exposure to dangerous content.
Curtis added that there are too many kids lost for these companies not to be held accountable in his eyes.
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