A 13-year-old Ohio boy has died after reportedly attempting the viral social media trend known as the "Benadryl Challenge."
Jacob Stevens, of Greenfield, died on April 12, according to his obituary.
"His death was sudden and unexpected," the obituary read.
NBC affiliate station WDTN reported Stevens was taken off life support after being hospitalized following an overdose on Benadryl, an over-the-counter allergy medication.
In a message on a fundraising page, family members wrote that Stevens had been attempting what is known as the "Benadryl Challenge," which involves ingesting high doses of the allergy medication to induce hallucinations.
The so-called challenge was at the center of a warning from the Food and Drug Administration in 2020, which noted that taking too much of the drug "can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death."
"We are aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the 'Benadryl Challenge' encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok," the warning states.
Local
TikTok did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago's request for comment but told PEOPLE in a statement "we strictly prohibit and remove content that promotes dangerous behavior with the safety of our community as a priority."
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
"We have never seen this type of content trend on our platform and have blocked searches for years to help discourage copycat behavior," the statement read. "Our team of 40,000 safety professionals works to remove violations of our Community Guidelines and we encourage our community to report any content or accounts they're concerned about."
There has been little evidence on TikTok of a widespread challenge, and the platform disabled both the "Benadryl" and "BenadrylChallenge" hashtags in order to prevent copycats, NBC News reported.
Benadryl also put out a notice about the challenge, calling it a "dangerous trend" that "should be stopped immediately."
"Collaboration and education are critical to putting an end to this dangerous misuse," the company said. "We are working with TikTok and other social platforms to remove content that showcases this behavior. We will look to partner across industry and with key stakeholders to address this dangerous behavior."
It urged anyone who may have overdosed on the product or knows someone who has to contact their local poison control center.
"The safety of the people who use our products is our top priority," the company's statement read. "As with any medicine, abuse or misuse can lead to serious side effects with potentially long-lasting or even life-threatening consequences. All medications should be kept out of the reach of children at all times."
Stevens attended eighth grade at Greenfield McClain Middle School and was described by his parents as "a well-mannered, funny, loving kid," according to his obituary.
"He enjoyed listening to music, playing football, and hanging out with his friends," his obituary read.
A funeral service was expected to be held Wednesday at the Summers Funeral Home.
