The sad death of an Ohio teen Jacob Stevens has led to warnings about a dangerous viral challenge called the “Benadryl Challenge”, know his age, parents and obituary
A 13-year-old boy from Ohio named Jacob Stevens died after taking between 12 and 14 antihistamine pills as part of the “Benadryl Challenge.” The challenge became famous for the first time in 2020. It involves taking a lot of over-the-counter drugs to make hallucinations and posting videos of the experience on social media sites like TikTok.
Who is Ohio teen Jacob Stevens who died due to viral TikTok Benadryl Challenge: Bio, age, parents, obituary
13 year old Jacob took almost six times the suggested amount, which caused health problems that were so bad that he died. His father, Justin Stevens, stated in a televised interview that his son overdosed last weekend while at home with friends. “It was too much for his body,” he said. Jacob was rushed to the hospital immediately after ingesting the pills and put on mechanical ventilation. After spending nearly a week on a ventilator, he passed away on the sixth day, which his father described as “the worst day of his life.”
A 13 year old boy from Ohio has died after participating in a dangerous trend on TikTok.
The “Benadryl Challenge” sees teens take 12-14 tablets a day while documenting the effects for TikTok videos.
The boy, Jacob Stevens, who was filmed doing the challenge by a group of… pic.twitter.com/aLkzasXSJW
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) April 18, 2023
Since that terrible thing happened, Jacob Stevens’ family has warned other parents about the dangers of the “Benadryl Challenge.” Justin asked parents to keep an eye on what their kids do online so that something like this doesn’t happen again. He is also said to have talked to local politicians about putting an age limit on buying medicines like Benadryl.
“I already sent a message to Mr. Dewine. It’s my life goal now to make that happen. I’ll go at it until the day I die,” Justin said in his interview.
The US FDA’s warning about Diphenhydramine overdose
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned people about the “Benadryl Challenge” in the past. Benadryl has an antihistamine called diphenhydramine in it. Also this helps with hay fever, upper respiratory allergies, the common cold, the flu, a runny nose, and coughing. Small amounts of diphenhydramine are thought to be “safe and effective,” but too much can cause heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death.
TikTok Challenge turns Deadly: Jacob Stevens (13) from Ohio, US died after overdosing on medication while attempting the viral 'Benadryl Challenge'. The TikTok trend encourages people to take large doses of the antihistamine to induce hallucinations. pic.twitter.com/c9AjeGJLtX
— Deeksha Negi (@NegiDeekshaa) April 18, 2023
Jacob Stevens’ father said that the doctors said his son was brain-dead, and when he heard the news, he felt like time had stopped. “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,” Justin said.
Jacob Stevens family shares heartfelt memories
Jacob Stevens’ parents said he was a kind, funny, and loving kid who played football for Greenfield schools. Justin was grateful for the community’s help and said that “it made him feel really good to see posts on Facebook from his peers about how he helped them.” Then he told parents, “Watch what they are doing on that phone. Talk to them about the situation. I want everyone to know about my son.” Jacob Stevens’ funeral will be held next week, his father informed.
In the past few years, many people have been hurt or killed by the dangerous trend of viral dares on social media sites like TikTok. Parents and teachers are urged to talk to their kids about the possible dangers of these tasks and to keep a close eye on what they do online.
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