Blue Whale Challenge 9/6/17

LEFLORE COUNTY, Okla.- Children and gaming, two things that go hand in hand nowadays.

One Internet game - The Blue Whale Challenge – has encouraged kids to do self-harm, even to the extent of suicide.

An Oklahoma community experienced this first hand just a few weeks ago.

It happened to an 11 year-old boy.

His suicide has led to opening doors to talking about bullying, social media, and extreme peer pressure.

“Your child’s online presence is a huge part of this,” said Terry Winn, a LeFlore County Investigator.

He said this game starts online and through social media sites.

“The game targets individuals that already have some form of mental illness, depression, and bullying,” said Winn.

The challenge will present players with one task to do each day for 50 days, said investigators.

Some of the challenges include, waking up at odd time of the night, watching graphic videos, and self harm, including cutting and burning.

“The game is played in groups 4 to 5 kids at a time,” Winn said.

There are all kinds of ways this game gets around, but one way is word of mouth.

“They will talk to their friends on social media about this. They will also message them through messenger, kik, and snapchat, things of the nature,” said Winn.

Winn has asked parents to closely monitor their children’s online activity closely.

“I would ask that parents look through their child’s phone, computer devices, and keep track of those things,” said the investigator.

But suicide prevention experts have warned against bringing the challenge up to avoid more children looking into it.

“But what we know is it kind of normalizes suicide for people,” said Michele Cooper, CAPS Suicide Prevention specialist.

Cooper said parents should not be afraid though to talk about suicide if they do suspect their child is thinking about it.

“I think the most important thing to do is to honestly ask your child what is going on and have that conversation,” said Cooper.

Leflore county investigators said they found other children they suspected were playing the game.

Those children are receiving help now.

There have been other cases of the challenge being played around the United States in California, Colorado and Virginia.

Видео Blue Whale Challenge 9/6/17 канала UATV News