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Viral suicide game prompts Denver Public Schools to warn parents

Posted at 12:59 PM, May 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-11 16:42:04-04

DENVER – Although there have been no reports of student participation in Denver, district officials want parents to know about a dangerous viral challenge targeting teens.

The so-called "Blue Whale Challenge" is sweeping across social media and getting attention from young people around the world.

The game purportedly encourages participants to harm themselves for at least 50 days and then commit suicide. The challenge apparently even had an app, but it was quickly pulled from Apple’s app store.

Denver Public Schools told Denver7 that it is aware of the viral challenge, but it has not encountered any student participation. District officials have drafted a letter to parents warning them of the game.

According to a BBC report, an alleged administrator of the challenge pleaded guilty in a Russian court of inciting suicide.