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Family blames teen death on fiery ‘One Chip Challenge’ trending on social media

September 5, 2023 | | Print Article

A 14-year-old student died Friday and his family is blaming his death on the “One Chip Challenge,” a social media trend that involves eating an extremely spicy chip.

Harris Wolobah, from Worcester, Mass., reportedly ate the spicy chip made by Paqui and packaged in a coffin container, with his mother telling NBC10 Boston that the family believes the complications from the One Chip Challenge resulted in his death — autopsy results were pending.

The chip contains Carolina Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper, two of the hottest peppers in the world. It comes with a warning that it should be consumed by adults only, should be kept away from children, and shouldn’t be eaten by anyone who’s sensitive to spicy food or with an allergy, women who are pregnant, and anyone with a medical condition.

The deceased teen was a sophomore at Doherty Memorial High School, according to the NBC affiliate, and Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Rachel Monárrez called him a “rising star.”

“The One Chip Challenge is a social media challenge that involves eating purportedly the spiciest tortilla chip in the world, then waiting as long as possible before eating or drinking something for relief,” NBC10 Boston reported.

The challenge has been around for a while, as seen in the tweet below marking the one-year anniversary of one group’s participation.

Here are a few examples of others taking the “One Chip Challenge,” which defies all logic upon seeing the reactions — today’s desperate quest for attention must have some limits:

Tom Tillison
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