Cause of Death Revealed for Teen Who Died After ‘One Chip Challenge’

Harris Wolobah, 14, died on Sept. 1 after completing Paqui's "One Chip Challenge"

A cause of death has been confirmed for the 14-year-old boy who died after participating in Paqui's “One Chip Challenge.”

Harris Wolobah, a sophomore at Doherty Memorial High School in Massachusetts, died from consuming a high level of chili pepper extract, according to the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Wolobah's exact cause of death was deemed a cardiopulmonary arrest “in the setting of recent ingestion of food substance with high capsaicin concentration.” The examiner could not confirm that the chip was the source of the capsaicin.

They did determine that the high schooler had an enlarged heart and a congenital heart defect. His family was not aware of the condition at the time of his death, which is not uncommon with cardiomegaly, according to the NIH.

“We were and remain deeply saddened by the death of Harris Wolobah and extend our condolences to his family and friends," a representative for Paqui tells PEOPLE following the autopsy news. "Paqui’s One Chip Challenge was intended for adults only, with clear and prominent labeling highlighting that the product was not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods or with underlying health conditions."

"We saw increased reports of teens and other individuals not heeding these warnings. As a result, while the product adhered to food safety standards, out of an abundance of caution, we worked with retailers to voluntarily remove the product from shelves in September 2023, and the One Chip Challenge has been discontinued," they added in a statement.

Wolobah participated in the snack brand “One Chip Challenge” on Sept. 1, according to CBS News' WBZ. The viral trend on social media involved eating a chip containing Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers.

A spokesperson for Paqui also expressed condolences at the time in a statement to PEOPLE on Sept. 7.

Lois Wolobah, Harris’ mother, told WBZ that she received a call from the school nurse on Sept. 1 and was notified that he fainted after eating the chip. Family members then picked up Harris and drove him home before discovering him unconscious by 4:30 p.m., per the outlet.

Lois told NBC-10 Boston that they rushed Harris to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A Worcester Public Schools spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that Harris felt unwell and visited the nurse’s office, then left and died that day.

The boy’s father, Amos Wolobah, told WBZ that his son had "no pre-existing condition."

"I pray to God that no parent goes through what I'm going through," Lois told WBZ. "I don't want to see anybody hurting the way I'm hurting. I miss my son so much, I miss him so much."

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A GoFundMe created by Harris’s cousin described the high school sophomore as “a light that lit up the room with his presence and subtle charm." The post added that Harris was “intelligent, quirky and incredibly talented.”

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Paqui pulled the One Chip Challenge product from stores after Harris’ death. Paqui sold the singular spicy chip for $10 and directions on its website were to “eat the entire chip. Wait as long as possible before drinking or eating anything. Post your reaction on social media with #onechipchallenge and mention @paquichips."

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After a surge in minors consuming the product against the packaging's warning — including Harris — Paqui issued a statement.

"While the Paqui One Chip Challenge is intended for adults only, we have seen an increase in teen usage of the product," said the Paqui spokesperson on Sept. 7.

"We care about all of our consumers and have made the decision to remove the product from shelves," they added. "The product’s label clearly states it is not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods or who has food allergies, is pregnant or has underlying health conditions. We are actively working with our retailers and are offering refunds for any purchases of our single-serve one chip challenge product.”

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