A Volusia County father says he was “absolutely horrified” after seeing video he believes shows his middle-school-aged son attempting the viral “Blackout Challenge,” a dangerous trend that involves cutting off airflow to induce briefly passing out.
The father, who asked not to be identified, said he also saw other children connected to his son’s friend group at Ormond Beach Middle School attempting the same stunt.
“Unfortunately we’re dealing with children who have underdeveloped brains,” he said. “They do stupid things to impress their friends.”
The trend has drawn national attention for years.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously linked 82 deaths to so-called “choking games” between 1995 and 2007.
Online searches for the “Blackout Challenge” turn up thousands of examples and reports tied to serious injuries, deaths and lawsuits.
News 6 reviewed another video involving an Ormond Beach middle schooler where the child appears to pass out.
The father said he wants stronger warnings to parents and students.
“Children die all the time from doing these stupid pranks,” he said. “Social media needs to be held accountable for allowing this type of content.”
In an email to the family Sunday, an assistant principal said the district and law enforcement were taking “appropriate measures” to address what she called a “dangerous TikTok trend.”
A TikTok spokesperson said that the challenge is not unique to any platform, and added TikTok has taken steps to block search terms related to it for several years.
When News 6 followed up Monday, a Volusia County Schools spokesperson said in an email that the situation happened at a home, outside of school, and there were no other reported cases.
The district did not answer questions regarding how specifically the incident is being addressed.
The Ormond Beach father said he expected a broader message to families, and is disappointed in the school district’s response.
“I could’ve called the Sheriff’s Department,” he said. “I relied on them to do a mass communication to the student body, to do what is right for their student body, and they failed to do that,” he said.
News 6 reached out to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. The mother of one of the boys involved confirmed deputies have contacted her. News 6 is working to learn what action, if any, will be taken.
The father urged parents to stay alert: “You have to always watch. Be diligent, pay attention to everything that they’re doing. Always double check… check, check, check.”