How Did Archie Battersbee Die? Social media ‘blackout’ challenge and cause of death Explained

Before his mother discovered Archie Battersbee unconscious at their house in April, he was apparently participating in the risky “blackout challenge” social media craze.

How Did Archie Battersbee Die?

The 12-year-old has been on life support since April, and his parents are now asking for permission to transfer him from the Royal London Hospital to a hospice.

According to his mother Hollie Dance, Battersbee choked during the “blackout challenge.”

It is said that several youngsters have died as a result of the risky challenge that became popular on TikTok.

Mother claims 12-year-old “fought until the last” when Royal London Hospital stopped providing care.

Archie Battersbee – cause of death

Archie Battersbee, a 12-year-old kid whose parents waged a protracted court struggle to keep him on life support, has passed away, according to his mother.

He “fought right until the last end,” according to Hollie Dance, who was speaking outside the Royal London Hospital.

She cried as she spoke, saying: “In sadness, Archie departed today at 12.15pm. I just want to say that I am the world’s most proudest mother.

“What a gorgeous little boy he was. He persevered all the way to the finish, and I am so proud to be his mother.

Archie Battersbee ‘fought until the end’,

A family aunt named Ella Carter described the death of the young boy as “barbaric.”

Before they fully withdrew ventilation and he turned absolutely blue, she stated, “his numbers stayed completely steady for two hours.”

“Watching a family member or a child suffocate lacks all sense of dignity. What our family has gone through should never again happen to another family; it is inhumane.

On Saturday morning, friends of the family visited the hospital with flowers and built a memorial to Archie in front of the facility using candles in the form of the letter A.

The Christian Legal Centre’s chief executive, Andrea Williams, who has been working on the family’s case, stated: “At this heartbreaking time, our thoughts, prayers, and support are with Archie’s family.

“We will continue to support the family, as we have done when they contacted us following the issuance of last-minute legal proceedings to terminate Archie’s life support, as we have done throughout.

“We appreciate the strong public support that Archie and his family have received. It has been an honour to stand with them.

Paul Battersbee, Dance’s father, and Archie’s mother had just applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Court of Appeal, and the High Court to have him transferred to a hospice to die.

As a result of the high court’s decision requiring him to stay at the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, east London, a last-ditch request for the ECHR to step in was denied late on Friday.

Who is Archie Battersbee?

Archie, a gifted gymnast and fan of mixed martial arts, has been unconscious since April 7 after sustaining a severe brain damage. His mother, who had been by his bedside nearly nonstop ever since, thinks he choked while participating in a trending social media challenge.

Doctors declared Archie to be brain dead, but his parents insisted on keeping him on life support.

A high court judge declared it was “futile” to continue treating Archie last month, complimenting his “infectious enthusiasm for life.”

Dance, of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, claimed in a Friday interview with Sky News that the hospital had made it plain there were no other alternatives and that life support will be turned off at 10 am on Saturday.

“I don’t think there has been a day that hasn’t been horrific actually” in the weeks since April 7, according to Dance.

 Archie’s tragic case touched the hearts of many across the country.”

She continued, “It’s been incredibly hard.” “I’ve been quite broken despite the hard powerful face and appearance obviously in front of the cameras up until now.”

She replied, “No. There is nothing more I can do. I’ve fulfilled all of my commitments to my young son. And I completed it.

How Did Archie Battersbee Die? Social media ‘blackout’ challenge and cause of death Explained
How Did Archie Battersbee Die? Social media ‘blackout’ challenge and cause of death Explained

Archie’s “tragic case not only shook the family and his carers but touched the emotions of many across the country,” according to a statement from Barts Health NHS trust.

“Archie Battersbee passed away on Saturday afternoon at the Royal London hospital after treatment was discontinued in accordance with court orders about his best interests,” said Alistair Chesser, the trust’s chief medical officer. His family members were present at the bedside, and we send our deepest sympathies to them during this trying time.

“The trust would like to express its gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and support workers in the paediatric intensive care unit who cared for Archie after his terrible tragedy. Over the course of several months, they offered high-quality care with exceptional compassion in frequently hard and upsetting circumstances. This heartbreaking tragedy touched the hearts of many people across the nation in addition to the family and his caregivers.

What is the “blackout challenge”?

A dare known as the “blackout challenge” exhorts participants to hold their breath until they pass out for lack of air.

The “pass-out challenge” or the “choking challenge” are other names for it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that the dare is not new and has been circulating since 2008. (CDC).

At the time, the regulatory agency conducted a research and discovered that the “game” was responsible for at least 82 youth deaths.

Why is it so risky?

The challenge can deprive the brain of oxygen and risk suffocation because it requires choking oneself.

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The CDC issued a warning: “Prolonged strangulation can result in death or serious harm.”

TikTok statement about this blackout challenge

A TikTok representative said, “This distressing ‘challenge’, which individuals seem to hear about from sources other than TikTok, long predates our platform and has never been a TikTok trend,” to People after Nylah passed away.

“We are steadfast in our dedication to user safety and, should any relevant content be discovered, we will remove it right away.

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