Harris Wolobah, Massachusetts 14 year old teen dies hours after participating in TikTok viral ‘One Chip Challenge’ – first fatality amid viral social media craze as food manufacturer, Paqui, continues to promote challenge on its website.
All it took was a single tortilla chip. A Massachusetts 14 year old boy died hours after taking part in the ‘One Chip Challenge’, — a viral social media trend involving some of the world’s most spiciest peppers that the teen’s family now attributes to their son’s death over the weekend.
Harris Wolobah, a tenth grader at Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester, consumed an exceedingly spicy Paqui chip at school on Friday and quickly developed a stomach ache, his mother Lois told NBC 10 Boston.
The sophomore was picked up by family and brought home and started to feel better, only to later be found passed out right as he was going to leave for basketball tryouts, the teen’s mom told the outlet.
Autopsy yet to confirm exact cause of death
The 14 year old was rushed to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
A cause of death has not been confirmed with autopsy results pending.
Speaking with the Worcester Telegram, police Lt. Sean Murtha said the boy was unresponsive and not breathing. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead
Wolobah’s mother now believes her son died from complications due to the spicy food snack as a result of her son partaking in the social media challenge.
Of note, the chip’s company warns on its website eating the chip — seasoned with some of the hottest peppers in the world — could have adverse medical effects.
Part of the challenge tests how long a person can last before eating or drinking anything else for relief.
Hottest peppers in the world
The Paqui brand says that the chip should only be eaten by adults. It also advises people should seek medical assistance if they have trouble breathing, fainting or prolonged nausea.
‘After touching the chip, wash your hands with soap and do not touch eyes or other sensitive areas,’ the brand states.
This year’s chip contains Carolina Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper, according to the website.
Worcester public school chief said the school community ‘lost a rising star in Wolobah.’
‘As a mother and educator, I cannot imagine how hard this is on his family, friends and teachers,’ Worcester Schools Superintendent Rachel Monarrez, Boston 25 reported.
His basketball coach for the St. Bernard’s church team, Douglas Hill, called Wolobah a hard worker dedicated to his craft, according to WCVB.
‘I feel for the family,’ Hill said. ‘I feel for him, and this is just one of those situations where it’s not his fault.’
First death amid prior medical emergencies
Tufts Medical Center Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Dr. Lauren Rice told WCVB when someone eats a spicy food, the results can range from mouth or lip burning to heart issues.
‘Sometimes, we see people with a lot of chest pain, or they’ll experience palpitations, as well,’ Rice said.
While Harris’s death marks the first reported fatality after eating the chips, many other children have needed medical attention after eating them.
In October 2022, a school district in Lafayette, Louisiana banned the chips from all campuses after multiple students needed medical attention.
Less than one month later, paramedics were called to a high school in Dunwood, Georgia, prompting police to issue a warning about the snack.
Blood on its hands?
The ‘One Chip Challenge’ is a marketing campaign surrounding a single tortilla chip that is advertised as the spiciest in the world.
Continues Paqui to list on its website; ‘How long can you last before you spiral out?’ (before you eat or drink anything for relief).
‘1 minute harmless. 10 minutes slitherer. 30 minutes venomous, 1 hour appex Predator.’
The challenge, presumably in a bid to bring attention to the brand and increase food sales (but at what costs?) has drawn a following across social media, with the ‘#onechipchallenge’ tag boasting over two billion views on TikTok.
Manufactured by Paqui since 2016, the chip is the product of Texas-based Amplify Snack Brands which was acquired by The Hershey Company in 2017.
The social media challenge is the latest in a string of episodes which have seen ‘willing participants’ experience debilitating injuries and in some cases death in a bid to attain viral infamy.
