Ohio Boy, 13, Dies 6 Days After Attempting TikTok Trend 'Benadryl Challenge'
"No mother should have to say goodbye to their baby," expressed Jacob Stevens' aunt in a GoFundMe campaign
A 13-year-old boy in Ohio has died after trying the "Benadryl challenge."
The viral social media trend involves TikTok users taking large amounts of Benadryl, an over-the-counter allergy medication, to get high.
Related: FDA Warns of TikTok 'Benadryl Challenge' Linked to Teen Hospitalizations
Justin Stevens spoke out about the challenge in a conversation with ABC 6 after his son Jacob took part in the trend, causing the teen to begin seizing and be hospitalized and on a ventilator for six days before his death on Wednesday.
"When he did, it all came at once, and it was too much for his body," Stevens explained to the outlet, sharing that the challenge was to take 12 to 14 pills of the allergy drug.
"No brain scan, there was nothing there. They said we could keep him on the vent that he could lay there, but he will never open his eyes, he'll never breathe, smile, walk or talk," he added.
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Jacob is remembered as someone who "enjoyed listening to music, playing football, and hanging out with his friends" in his obituary. A GoFundMe started by the teen's aunt, Ashley Dean, stated, "No mother should have to say goodbye to their baby."
In a statement shared with PEOPLE after Jacob's death, a TikTok spokesperson expressed that the platform's "deepest sympathies go out to the family."
"At TikTok, we strictly prohibit and remove content that promotes dangerous behavior with the safety of our community as a priority. We have never seen this type of content trend on our platform and have blocked searches for years to help discourage copycat behavior," the statement added.
"Our team of 40,000 safety professionals works to remove violations of our Community Guidelines and we encourage our community to report any content or accounts they're concerned about."
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The Food and Drug Administration first warned about the trend in late 2020.
"We are aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the 'Benadryl Challenge' encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok," a news release from the FDA reads. "We are investigating these reports and conducting a review to determine if additional cases have been reported."
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