Family of 10-Year-Old Boy Speaks Out After Police Say TikTok Challenge May Have Led to His Death
“I walked outside, I saw his tablet and I saw him hanging from the tree. I ran over and got him down. I called 911 and tried to do CPR on him,” his 12-year-old sister Madison said. Roberts family says investigators told them his death was not a suicide. https://t.co/BsU0EiggI0 pic.twitter.com/SE0jO5RZ8F
— CBS46 (@cbs46) September 24, 2021
A Georgia family is mourning the loss of Robert Craig, 10, after he tragically died in his front yard due to what police believe could have been a TikTok challenge.
The boy was found dead in his Floyd County yard last week by his 12-year-old sister Madison, according to CBS affiliate WGCL-TV.
"I walked outside, I saw his tablet and I saw him hanging from the tree," Madison told the outlet, noting how her younger brother usually made TikTok videos on the tablet.
Robert was rushed to a hospital, but it was too late and the 10-year-old boy died shortly after, WGCL reported.
RELATED: Colorado Boy, 12, Dies 19 Days After Choking Himself in 'Blackout Challenge' Found on TikTok
The Floyd County Police Department is now investigating Robert's death, but his family told WGCL that investigators do not believe he died by suicide due to the content they found on his tablet.
"They said they don't believe it was a suicide because he was a happy child, and after looking at his TikTok, it could have been a TikTok challenge," Madison told the outlet.
Police believe Robert may have been attempting the "Blackout Challenge," which dares TikTok users to choke themselves until they are unconscious. The challenge, which has gained traction on TikTok over the last year, has already led to the death of several children, including 12-year-old Colorado resident Joshua Haileyesus and a 10-year-old girl in Palermo, Italy.
RELATED VIDEO: The 10 Year Challenge: Viral Sensation or Facebook Ploy?
Madison told WGCL that although her brother, who was born with one eye, got bulled at school, he always saw the good in others and will be missed tremendously by their family.
"Our deepest sympathies are with the family," a TikTok spokesperson tells PEOPLE in a statement. "We prioritize the safety of our community and strictly prohibit and remove dangerous challenges from our platform. While we still have not found evidence of a 'blackout challenge' trending on our platform, we remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety."
A spokesperson for the Floyd County Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
