Overview

• Sebastian Cizman, 12, was found unresponsive at his Castleford home on June 27 and later pronounced dead in hospital.
• West Yorkshire Police have opened coroner’s inquiries into his death, which is not being treated as suspicious.
• Investigators have begun examining his phone to determine how he encountered the dangerous “scarf challenge.”
• His parents have publicly demanded legal accountability from social media companies and called for stricter safeguards against harmful viral content.
• The blackout challenge has been linked to at least 20 child deaths worldwide since 2022, and a February lawsuit against TikTok by parents of four British teenagers underscores mounting pressure for platform reform.