13-year-old, Jacob Stevens, dead after trying deadly TikTok “Benadryl challenge”

13-year-old dead after trying deadly TikTok “Benadryl challenge”

The challenge is where participants take 12 to 14 of the antihistamines — six times the recommended dose — in order to induce hallucinations.

The 13-year-old victim, Jacob Stevens, had been partaking in the “Benadryl Challenge,” a dangerous pursuit in which participants take 12 to 14 of the antihistamines — six times the recommended dose — in order to induce hallucinations.

The potentially deadly stunt started blowing up in 2020 as teens uploaded their attempts on TikTok in order to gain social media clout.

Jacob’s father, Justin, told ABC 6 that his son was at home last weekend with friends when he overdosed.

The ‘Benadryl Challenge’ trend sees teens swallow up to 14 pills in order to induce hallucinations and then post videos of their experience on social media.

Jacob was rushed to the hospital as his body began to shut down, and his family decided to take him off of life-support six days later after his brain functions ceased.

The teen’s father, Justin, told ABC 6 he was dedicated to warning parents and teens of the dangers of social media and released a picture of Jacob hooked up to life support in the hospital to spread awareness.

The teen was placed on a ventilator and lay in the hospital for six days before doctors found his brain was no longer responsive. 

‘No brain scan, there was nothing there,’ Justin said. ‘They said we could keep him on the vent, that he could lay there – but he will never open his eyes, he’ll never breathe, smile, walk or talk.’

He said it was the ‘worst day of his life’ when doctor’s told him about his son’s condition.

Justin recalled Jacob as being a caring kid who could brighten any day. 

‘It didn’t matter how bad of a day I was having, no one could make me smile, Jacob could make me smile,’ Justin recalled through tears.

Justin and his family have dedicated themselves to making sure such a tragedy never happens again.

‘I’m going to do anything I can to make sure another child doesn’t go through it,’ Jacob’s grandmother, Dianna, said.

Footage taken by his pals showed the Columbus resident downing the pills, after which his body reportedly started to seize up.

“It was too much for his body,” the teen’s devastated father said.

Jacob was subsequently rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator.