A Massachusetts teen reportedly died after eating a spicy tortilla chip as part of a social media challenge.
According to reports, Harris Wolobah, 14, died suddenly on Friday after experiencing stomach aches from the ‘One Chip Challenge,’ which is a marketing stunt for American snack food brand Paqui.
The challenge, which was made popular on TikTok, encourages participants to eat a supposedly severely spicy chip, then bear the heat for as long as possible before eating or drinking something else for relief.
The official cause of death is, however, yet to be confirmed but his mother, Lois Wolobah, believes his passing was the result of complications from the ingestion of the snack.
The chip, which is sold in an individual package, is advertised as one of the spiciest in the world.
Speaking to local media outlet NBC 10 Boston, Mrs Wolobah shared that Harris ate the spicy chip that was given to him by a classmate on Friday morning before being sent to the nurse’s office with complaints of a bad stomach ache.
He was then picked up and carried home by her, where she said he felt better. However, tragedy later struck as he was preparing to leave for basketball tryouts at which time he reportedly passed out. He was then rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Mrs Woblah chided the school for not taking her son directly to the hospital instead of being sent home after going to the nurse’s office.
Doherty Memorial High School, where Wolobah was a sophomore, paid tribute to the teenager.
Worcester Public Schools superintendent Rachel Monarrez said: “It is with a heavy heart [that] I share that we lost a rising star, Harris Wolobah.” As a mother and educator, I cannot imagine how hard this is on his family, friends, and teachers. My heart goes out to all who knew and loved him.”
The company Paqui has been selling the ‘One Chip Challenge’ snacks since 2016, with a warning label indicating that they are only suitable for adult consumption.
The chips used for the challenge are coated with a seasoning made from two of the hottest chilli peppers on earth: the Carolina Reaper and the Naga Viper.
The Harris family has so far managed to raise $25,000 to cover funeral expenses from a GoFundMe account.
