The tragic story of 12-year-old Sebastian Sizeman, who lost his life attempting to imitate the dangerous ‘Blackout Challenge’ on social media, has left his family and community devastated. The incident occurred in West Yorkshire, England, where Sebastian was found unconscious at home while a celebration for his younger brother Mike’s first Holy Communion was taking place downstairs.
His heartbroken parents are now speaking out against social media platforms, accusing them of allowing deadly trends to spread unchecked among children. ‘How long will we mourn? How many more children must die before someone takes responsibility?’ they cried in a powerful message.
The so-called Blackout Challenge encourages children to cut off oxygen to their brains by applying pressure to the neck until they faint. Experts warn that this can cause irreversible brain damage or even death within minutes. Sebastian was discovered with a sheet wrapped around his neck, lying motionless on the stairs. Despite frantic efforts by paramedics, he later died in the hospital.
Sebastian’s mother, Kasia, 37, tearfully urged authorities to take action: ‘People promoting these challenges should go to prison. Platforms do nothing. There is no control. They profit from our children and don’t care. I hope, as harsh as it sounds, that my son’s death will save other kids. But how long will we mourn?’
His father, Marcin, echoed her anger, explaining how easy it was for Sebastian to bypass age restrictions and create accounts on social media apps. He noted that many children his son’s age have unrestricted access to inappropriate content online.
The evening of the tragedy had started as a joyful family gathering. While preparing desserts and ice cream for the kids, the family noticed Sebastian hadn’t come downstairs. His cousin mentioned he had gone upstairs to rest, but soon after, relatives reported finding him unresponsive on the stairs.
Sebastian had never shown signs of self-harm or mental distress. He was a bright, creative child—self-taught in piano—with big dreams and an artistic soul. Authorities continue to investigate, examining his phone for clues about what he saw online and how he was influenced.
The family, originally from Poland, had planned to return to Kraków next year. Now, they say they are bringing Sebastian back in a coffin rather than returning home together as a family.