A Southern California family has been grieving the tragic loss of their 13-year-old son, Nnamdi Ohaeri Jr., who they believed died after attempting a dangerous social media challenge.
Nnamdi Jr., affectionately known as “Deuce,” was the eldest of four siblings and had a deep passion for music and sports, particularly football. Coming from a military family in Murrieta, he was known for his quick wit and sense of humour.
“He had a good sense of humour and a great wit about him,” his father, Nnamdi Ohaeri Sr., told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson.
The family recalled spending a seemingly normal Sunday together on February 2.
“We came home, they showered, we were watching the Grammys. He was excited that Kendrick Lamar was sweeping all the categories,” Ohaeri Sr. recalled.
The following morning, however, Deuce was found unresponsive in his room. His mother immediately performed CPR while his father called emergency number 911 and rushed to a neighbour for help. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead.
At first, the circumstances surrounding his death were unclear, but his parents struggled to believe he had taken his own life. They described him as a happy child who was always looking forward to the future.
Their search for answers led them to a shocking discovery—Deuce may have been attempting a social media challenge that involves intentionally cutting off oxygen to pass out.
“I heard something about a young person trying to make themselves pass out, and I guess they came back from it,” Ohaeri Sr. said.
The family believed Deuce may have learned about the challenge from classmates, as he did not have social media accounts and his phone was under strict parental controls.
Dangerous online trends such as the “Blackout Challenge” have been widely criticised for encouraging young users to hold their breath until they lose consciousness. Similar challenges have been linked to multiple child deaths, sparking lawsuits against TikTok and other social media platforms.
Now, Deuce’s grieving parents were left with painful questions, wondering if there was anything more they could have done.
“I’m going through the Rolodex of guilt now, like, ‘Did we check in more? Should I have not been as firm four years ago?’” Ohaeri Sr. said.
Determined to raise awareness and prevent similar tragedies, the family shared their story with the public.
“I’ve always been mindful of influences and talked about, ‘Don’t do drugs and make good decisions,’” Ohaeri Sr. said. “But we don’t talk about not following social media trends or playing social media games, and maybe we need to.”
The family recently held a funeral and celebration of life for Deuce, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support from their immediate community.
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