Still no answers: Mom of Massachusetts teen who died after participating in viral ‘One Chip Challenge’ speaks out after waiting an agonizing three months for autopsy report
The mother of a teenage boy who died after taking part in the viral 'one chip challenge' has said she is still waiting for his autopsy three months later.
14-year-old Massachusetts tenth grade basketball player Harris Wolobah died after eating what is said to be the spiciest corn chips in the world as part of a social media craze on September 1.
His mother, Lois Wolobah, said a classmate gave him the chip when they were at Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester, and she picked him up after he passed out.
The teen fainted again at home and was taken to the emergency room, where he later died.
Lois said the months since her son's death have been “not good at all” and “very stressful” – and her family is still waiting for answers about the cause of his death.
Harris Wolobah, 14, died hours after eating a spicy tortilla chip as part of the “One Chip Challenge,” a social media trend that has garnered billions of views on TikTok. The Massachusetts teen was a talented athlete who was described by family as 'a light that lit up the room'
The teen's high school, Doherty Memorial High, posted a statement from the district superintendent calling him a “rising star” and drawing the attention of students and teachers to grief counseling services.
“This whole thing has changed my life,” she said The messenger. 'I just take it one day at a time. I wait like everyone else. That's all I do.'
Tim McGuirk, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said 90 percent of cases are completed within 90 days, but this case is “clearly unique.”
DailyMail.com has contacted the office to see when the report is expected to be released.
While Harris' death marks the first fatality after eating the chips, many other children required medical attention after eating them.
In October 2022, a school district in Lafayette, Louisiana banned the chips from all campuses after several students required medical attention.
Less than a month later, paramedics were called to a high school in Dunwood, Georgia, prompting police to issue a warning about the snack.
The 'One Chip Challenge' is a marketing campaign around one tortilla chip that is advertised as the spiciest in the world.
The challenge has attracted a following on social media, with the tag '#onechipchallenge' racking up more than two billion views on TikTok.
Paqui, the manufacturer of the chip, encourages people to explore their physical limits. Those who can endure the searing pain for up to an hour without eating or drinking earn the title 'Apex Predator'
The 2023 edition of the 'One Chip Challenges' features a tortilla chip flavored with two of the spiciest peppers possible: the California Reaper Pepper and the Naga Viper Pepper. The California Reaper is ranked as the world's spiciest pepper
The chip, manufactured by Paqui since 2016, is the product of Texas-based Amplify Snack Brands, which was acquired by The Hershey Company in 2017.
A new flavor is released every year, and the 2023 edition will be available on Amazon starting August 9. Although there are less than ten ingredients listed, two that stand out the most are California Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper.
The California Reaper Pepper was officially declared the world's hottest pepper, with a value of 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) on the Scoville scale. The Naga Viper Pepper came in just below with 1,382,118 SHUs.
The scale measures the strength of different peppers in relation to capsaicin, the substance that gives chili peppers their heat. Pure capsaicin measures 16 million Scoville units.
The single chip comes in a coffin-shaped box with a red skull on it.
A warning label on the campaign site states: 'Keep out of the reach of children. Intended for adult consumption.'
The page encourages people to seek medical attention if they experience complications such as difficulty breathing, fainting or “prolonged nausea.”
Paqui has run an advertising campaign challenging people to test whether they can tolerate the pain.
An image on the site reads: “How long can you hold out before you spiral?” and shows an image of the Grim Reaper holding a snake.
Those who cannot eat or drink anything for an hour to combat the heat are considered an 'Apex Predator'.
It remains unclear whether the spicy chip contributed to Harris' death and an autopsy is pending.
Other children required medical care after participating in the challenge, including high school students from Louisiana and Georgia
On September 3, Dr. Rachel Monárrez, superintendent of Worcester Public Schools, issued a statement published on the Worcester Public Schools website.
She called the teen a “rising star.”
'As a mother and educator, I cannot imagine how difficult this is for his family, friends and teachers. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved him,” Monárrez wrote.
“It is during the most difficult of times that the community of Worcester comes together and this is one of those times. May we remain focused on allowing the grieving and healing process to continue during this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser was set up the day after his death by Tashia Roberts, the boy's cousin, with a goal of $30,000.
At the time of writing, more than $20,000 had already been raised.
'The pain our family is experiencing is unimaginable. Harris was a light that lit up the room with his presence and subtle charm,” she wrote.
The teenager was described as intelligent, quirky and talented, with a passion for video games and basketball.