CNN
—
A 13-year-old Ohio boy died after “taking a lot of Benadryl” while attempting a dangerous TikTok challenge circulating online, according to a CNN affiliate and his family’s GoFundMe account.
Jacob Stevens was participating in a TikTok challenge with friends at home when he ingested the antihistamine, the family’s donation account said. Jacob was on a ventilator for nearly a week before he died, according to WSYX.
CNN has not independently confirmed the cause of his death.
A Benadryl overdose can lead to “serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a 2020 public warning about the deadly “Benadryl Challenge” on TikTok.
CNN Takes Over 14-Year-Old’s TikTok Account. 17 Minutes Later, Here’s What We Saw
Jacob’s grandmother is doing everything she can “to make sure another child doesn’t have to go through” this challenge, she told CNN affiliate WSYX.
In a statement to CNN, TikTok said: “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family. At TikTok, we strictly prohibit and remove content that encourages dangerous behavior, with the safety of our community being a priority. We have never seen this type of content on our platform and have been blocking searches for years to help discourage copycat behavior. 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 that concern them.”
Benadryl maker Johnson & Johnson called the challenge “dangerous.”
“We understand that consumers may have heard of an online ‘challenge’ involving the misuse or abuse of diphenhydramine,” the undated online statement reads.
“This problem, which involves the ingestion of excessive amounts of diphenhydramine, is a dangerous trend that must be stopped immediately. BENADRYL® products and other diphenhydramine products should be used only as directed on the label.”
“We are working with TikTok and other social platforms to remove content that depicts this behavior,” the statement added. “We will seek to partner with the broader industry and key stakeholders to combat this dangerous behavior.”
CNN has reached out to the Stevens family and Columbus Public Health for comment.
The FDA’s 2020 warning said the agency had “reached out to TikTok and strongly urged them to remove the videos from their platform and to be vigilant in removing any additional videos that may be posted.”
Benadryl is an antihistamine used to treat symptoms such as runny nose or sneezing caused by upper respiratory allergies, hay fever or the common cold. It is safe and effective when used as recommended, the FDA said.
“Diphenhydramine is marketed under the brand name Benadryl, under private label and generic brands. It is also available in combination with analgesics, antipyretics and decongestants,” the agency said.
Consumers and parents should keep Benadryl and other over-the-counter and prescription medications out of the reach of children, the FDA said.
