Wilmington, DE – A Delaware mother says her teenage son died after attempting a viral TikTok trend known as the “Blackout Challenge,” which allegedly encourages users to choke themselves until they lose consciousness. Now, his death is among several cited in a wrongful death lawsuit being weighed by a Delaware judge.
Michelle Ortiz, mother of 17-year-old Jaedon Bovell, said her son was attempting to “master” the dangerous challenge when he accidentally took his own life in 2020. “He had no idea it was going to kill him,” Ortiz told the Delaware News Journal last week outside a Wilmington courtroom where attorneys argued over whether to dismiss the case.
According to the lawsuit, Jaedon died from self-asphyxiation after wrapping a jiu-jitsu belt around his neck and tying it to his bunk bed. Ortiz said her son had become increasingly drawn to social media and the attention he received there, amassing more than 25,000 followers and becoming what she called “TikTok famous.”
His account, which remains active, shows videos of him dancing and participating in various online trends. His final post, made on June 1, 2020—one day before his death—shows him singing and smiling. “Does he look like he would have killed himself?” Ortiz said, describing her son as “beautiful, smart, and funny.”
The lawsuit names multiple juvenile victims from across the country, each linked to the same “Blackout Challenge.” Attorneys for the families argue that the platform’s algorithms promoted dangerous content to vulnerable users, while TikTok’s legal team has moved to have the case dismissed, citing protections under federal law.
A Delaware judge is expected to decide whether the wrongful death case will move forward in the coming weeks.
Key Points: Delaware teen dies attempting viral ‘Blackout Challenge’ as mother blames TikTok in wrongful death suit – Wilmington
• Seventeen-year-old Jaedon Bovell died in 2020 after trying the viral “Blackout Challenge.”
• His mother, Michelle Ortiz, says he was influenced by social media and TikTok trends.
• A Delaware court is weighing whether to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit against TikTok tied to multiple teen deaths.