The family claimed that a dangerous social media challenge took the life of their nine-year-old daughter and warned against such dare. Jacqueline Blackwell died in her family’s backyard a month ago when she was found with a rope wrapped around her neck, said her parents, Curtis and Wendy Blackwell.“It was just the three of us, three friends, we did everything together,” said Curtis Blackwell.Curtis and Wendy Blackwell said, “Karaoke. She loved karaoke; she could do it all day.”Jacqueline’s parents said she loved singing and dreamed of becoming a star, CBS News reported.“She was on YouTube a lot, of course, as were a lot of kids,” said Curtis Blackwell.She said she also enjoys facing challenges she receives on social media, which seemed harmless to her until the incident a month ago.“On a typical morning, tickle him to wake him up to get ready for school,” said Wendy Blackwell.“She goes out to play like she always does, out in the yard. I noticed it was a little quieter – quieter than it should have been,” said Curtis Blackwell. “Then I saw her around the corner leading to the carport, saw her hair. I said, ‘Jacqueline!’ I thought she was playing bent over because she was always playing in that area, but she wasn’t.”“I found her unconscious, clinging to a rope,” said Curtis Blackwell. “I tried to do everything I could to save her. I pulled her out of her restraints. I tried to give her CPR until first responders got there. It was the most horrifying, shocking thing I have ever seen. It was horrible to see my daughter in such a vulnerable state because of something so senseless.”“I don’t think I’ll ever do that,” said Curtis Blackwell. “I will never forget that day. That will linger in my mind for the rest of my life.”The Blackwells said they spent several days trying to understand why this happened.“My mom told me that Jacqueline had shown her a video earlier of a guy doing it with a cord, my mom told her, ‘You should never do that,'” said Curtis Blackwell.Videos of people deliberately strangling themselves for a short-term euphoria, often referred to as the blackout challenge, have circulated on social media for years.
What is the Blackout Challenge?
The “blackout challenge”, which encourages individuals to suffocate to the point of losing consciousness, falls into the latter. Her parents said they believe Jacqueline copied what she saw and became one of 80 documented cases of death from the challenge, according to the CDC.“This is not a joke, this is not a game, this is life and death,” said Curtis Blackwell. “Most of the kids are ages 9 to 14. A lot of kids her age don’t have fully developed brains and are very easily influenced.”Some social media sites have now posted warnings or blocked searches for the blackout challenge, but the videos continue to promote the act.“She is our beautiful angel now,” Wendy Blackwell said.Only a month after losing their daughter, the Blackwells said they are turning their grief into action.“Even if it saves one life, that life matters a lot,” said Curtis Blackwell.They called for greater accountability, saying they did not want other parents to suffer similar fates.“You can have your kid check on it, it could be a kid-friendly video, and then three minutes later it could be something completely dark because of the algorithms they create,” said Curtis Blackwell. “A lot of these kids are lost, so these companies can’t be held accountable in my view.”
