An eight-year-old girl from Brazil, Sarah de Castro, tragically passed away after participating in a dangerous social media challenge that involved inhaling fumes from an aerosol deodorant. The incident, which took place last Thursday, highlights the growing risks of online trends that are increasingly gaining popularity among young users.
The Incident: A Deadly Challenge on Kwai
Sarah de Castro, who had dreams of becoming a doctor, took part in a challenge that she saw on Kwai, a Chinese-owned social media app similar to TikTok. The challenge required participants to inhale fumes from an Old Spice aerosol deodorant can. Following the inhalation, Sarah immediately went into cardiac arrest.
Despite being rushed to Ceilândia Regional Hospital in the midwestern town of Ceilândia, where she was revived an hour later, Sarah was unable to recover and was declared dead on Sunday. Her family, devastated by the loss, filed a report with the Federal District Civil Police.
Family’s Heartfelt Statement
In an emotional statement, Sarah’s family expressed their grief and love, saying, “God invited our little angel to spread her wings and fly to heaven. There she will be at peace and always watching over us.” The family was particularly heartbroken by the unexpected loss of their young daughter, who had been with her grandfather at the time of the incident.
The Investigation Over the Social Media Trend
The Federal District Civil Police quickly launched an investigation into the challenge and its origins on Kwai. The primary objective of the investigation is to identify the individual responsible for posting the challenge and bring them to justice. A suspect in this case could face a charge of double-qualified homicide, which involves causing common danger and the involvement of a victim under the age of 14. This charge could carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years.
Federal District Civil Police Chief Walber Lima commented on the ongoing investigation, stating, “The autopsy report will tell us the cause of death. The child’s cell phone was seized, and the expert report will take about 30 days to be ready. As soon as we have this technical evidence, we will be able to move forward with the investigation.”
Family’s Allegations: Kwai and Old Spice Under Scrutiny
Sarah’s father, Cássio Maurilio, expressed his outrage over the events, holding both Kwai and Old Spice responsible for his daughter’s death. He revealed plans to file a lawsuit against both companies. Maurilio criticized Kwai for failing to create effective mechanisms to prevent the spread of dangerous content on its platform.
“The platform does not create mechanisms to prevent dangerous content from being published [on the app],” Maurilio said. “The deodorant company, in turn, does not mention the risk of death if the product is inhaled. All material that poses an imminent risk of death must have [this] written on it. It must have an image on the packaging.”
Maurilio also emphasized that the Old Spice can used in the challenge did not display adequate warnings regarding the potential dangers of inhaling the product. “The packaging does not have any prominent warnings about health risks or death,” Maurilio stated. “I tell you, be careful with your children. This internet challenge left [Sarah] in this situation. This company will be sued. They have to pay.”
