Boy, 14, dies after injecting himself with butterfly in viral online challenge
In a shocking and tragic event, 14-year-old Davi Nunes Moreira fell victim to a fatal internet challenge.
In a bid for attention, he engaged in a perilous trend and injected a mixture containing crushed butterfly wings into his leg.
The outcome was horrifying. What began as a seemingly innocent quest for online fame swiftly escalated into a prolonged and painful demise for the young boy.
A torturous seven-day battle.
Deadly viral challenges are increasingly alarming, as more individuals, particularly teenagers, are jeopardizing their lives for online recognition. From risky dares to harmful stunts, these trends can lead to devastating outcomes.
One of the many young casualties of this trend was 14-year-old Davi Nunes Moreira from Brazil.
After he began to limp and vomit, the boy initially told his father that he had injured himself while playing. However, as his condition deteriorated and his father found a syringe beneath his pillow, the young boy admitted to hospital staff what he had done.
It appears that Davi had taken a deceased butterfly, crushed it, combined the remnants with water, and injected the resulting liquid into his right leg. This act is thought to have been part of an online challenge, as reported by the Daily Mail.
While some Brazilian media outlets speculate that Davi may have been influenced by an online experiment, it has been reported that the teen denied this assertion before his passing.
An active investigation
Even with expert medical attention, Davi’s health kept declining, and the doctors could not save him. Unfortunately, he faced a painful battle for seven days before he passed away in February at a hospital in Planalto, Brazil.
Luiz Fernando D. Relvas, a specialist at the hospital, shared with VivaBem that “it might have been an embolism, an infection, or an allergic reaction.”
“We are unsure how he concocted this mixture or the size of the fragments he was able to inject into his body,” he clarified.
“There might have been some air trapped inside, which could potentially result in an embolism,” he mentioned, emphasizing that this condition can lead to a rapid decline in health and even death.
Additionally, there is an active investigation to determine if toxins from the butterfly could have contributed to organ failure and septic shock, which ultimately resulted in the boy’s passing.
Professor Marcelo Duarte, who is the director of the Zoology Museum at Sao Paulo University and an expert on butterflies, stated (as reported by Daily Mail): “Butterflies possess a complex biology, and the fluids found in their bodies have not been thoroughly examined regarding their toxicity to humans.”
Another event
The Civil Police in Vitoria da Conquista, who are in charge of the investigation, mentioned that an autopsy will assist in determining the cause of death.
In a related incident last April, a Brazilian influencer narrowly avoided amputation after taking part in a perilous viral challenge for her two million followers.
“Thammy MC” was rendered unable to walk after standing in a bucket filled with ice and salt for an online “dare,” which resulted in her feet turning black and almost necessitated the amputation of her toes.