Girl, 16, dies after attempting viral ‘scarf game’ challenge

A 16-year-old girl has died while taking part in an alleged TikTok challenge, 'Scarf Game'. However, the app has since shut down claims of being associated with TikTok, as the term has not been searchable since 2021.

Christy Sibali Dominique Gloire Gassaille passed away while playing it at her home. The game, a variation of the Blackout Challenge, reportedly involves people putting cloth around their necks.

The game, said to be a viral game online, is said to result in low levels of oxygen to the brain, causing seizures, serious injury and even death. Christy passed away on 27 May.

She was buried at the Fleury les Aubrais cemetery, near her home in Orléans, France, on 7 June. She was originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Jam Press

In January, a 12-year-old girl died in Argentina after reportedly taking part in the online challenge. Milagros Soto was found dead in her bedroom after filming the whole incident.

Last week, an 11-year-old girl died after taking part in a similar game known as the 'Clonazepam Challenge'. Clonazepam is used to treat seizures, panic disorder, and anxiety disorders, among other conditions.

The victim collapsed in class after consuming two pills on 29 May. The schoolgirl was diagnosed as brain-dead in the hospital but passed away from a brain haemorrhage two days after being admitted.

Several countries have temporarily or partially prohibited the Chinese social network while others have permanently banned it.

Any content on TikTok that promotes dangerous challenges is a violation of the platform's Community Guidelines, and will subsequently be removed from the app.

A TikTok spokesperson told Indy100 that such content being posted or replicated will not be shown, and instead, searches will redirect to an Online Challenges Safety Centre page.

The page is created with guidance from youth safety experts, an adolescent development doctor, and a behavioural scientist specialising in risk prevention in adolescence.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.