Archie Battersbee’s mother says ‘blackout challenge’ killed 82 children and demands action
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Archie Battersbee’s mother says online ‘blackout challenge’ she blames for her 12-year-old son’s death has killed 82 children as she demands social media giants take action
- Archie’s mother Hollie Dance, 46, said that ‘sick people’ teach the deadly ‘tricks’
- Her son, 12, died after choking himself after doing online ‘blackout challenge’
- She said Government and police should hold challenge promoters accountable
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Archie Battersbee’s mother has blasted social media giants after blaming an online ‘blackout challenge’ for her son’s death claiming it has killed 82 other children.
The 12-year-old boy was found in his Essex home with a ligature around his neck in April and became the subject of a heated legal battle after doctors declared him brain dead and eventually withdrew life support.
Hollie Dance, 46, has demanded brands like TikTok and Facebook take action on dangerous challenges like the one she says killed her son – where participants strangle themselves until they faint.
She said that ‘sick people’ are ‘grooming our children to do these challenges,’ in interview with the Mirror.
‘And it’s disgusting. The people – they’re often adults, not children – who are demonstrating these challenges are sick.’
Hollie Dance (right), 46, has demanded brands like TikTok and Facebook take action on dangerous challenges like the one she says killed her son – where participants strangle themselves until they faint
Archie Battersbee (pictured), 12, was found in his Essex home with a ligature around his neck in April and became the subject of a heated legal battle after doctors declared him brain dead and eventually withdrew life support
Ms Dance found a video on the internet of a man around age 30 pulling something tight around his neck to choke himself.
She said he was show children who to do this ‘trick’ and said the police and Government need to hold people who promote these dangerous challenges accountable.
Liberal Democrat digital spokesman Jamie Stone said that we need ‘clear, tough laws’ to combat online harms, despite it being four years since the Government promised them.
A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokeswoman said: ‘The Online Safety BIll will force tech firms to protect children from dangerous viral stunts. Failing firms will face huge fines or have their sites blocked.’
Ms Dance said the legacy she wants to leave for her son is to ‘protect kids and the loved ones left behind’.
Archie was taken to the Royal London Hospital on April 7 after being found unconscious by his mother and doctors said he was ‘brain-stem dead’.
‘And it’s disgusting. The people – they’re often adults, not children – who are demonstrating these challenges are sick,’ Ms Dance said
The Barts Health NHS Trust successfully argued in court that it was continuing to keep Archie on life support was in his best interests – despite numerous appeals by his mother and father Paul Battersbee, 56.
Ms Dance has now written to Health Secretary Steve Barclay saying that: ‘Depriving disabled children of their right to life because of their disability is unacceptable.’
Andrea Williams from the Christian Legal Centre – who represented Archie’s family – said that a ‘better system’ is needed.