Two teenagers from Pennsylvania are facing legal consequences after prosecutors stated they engaged in a reckless TikTok-inspired stunt that resulted in one death and left another person with injuries that will likely impact their life permanently.
The district attorney’s office specifically named TikTok and Instagram, though similar types of videos can be found on various social media platforms.
A representative from TikTok mentioned that the video, which showcased stunts like surfing on tables and cars, violated community standards, leading to the removal of 99.8% of it, with 92.4% of the violations being addressed promptly.
The incidents occurred independently of one another, both taking place in Northampton County, located about 85 miles west of New York City and 80 miles north of Philadelphia.
In one instance, on June 1st, a 17-year-old was recorded on a folding table that was tied to a friend’s vehicle. The district attorney, Stephen Baratta, indicated that the friend drove recklessly. According to the prosecutor’s statement, “A rider on a table struck another parked vehicle, which lead to his death.”
The victim was identified as David Naggy, aged 17, as reported by a local news outlet.
In another occurrence, a 19-year-old woman allegedly drove through a parking lot on March 18th while her friend was “surfing” in the trunk of the car.
The woman in the trunk fell off, resulting in what can be described as “essentially permanent catastrophic head trauma,” according to Baratta’s office.
While neither of the teens is accused of deliberately intending to cause harm, Baratta classified their actions as “criminally negligent,” explaining that the events were incredibly reckless.
“These families had a close bond and trust with their friends,” Baratta shared with the media.
He also noted that neither of the drivers had prior criminal records, and the families of the victims are not actively seeking imprisonment.
This means his office might consider a plea deal that wouldn’t involve jail time if agreed upon.
Baratta mentioned that the victim’s family hopes to utilize this case as a cautionary tale for other teens. “They aim for accountability, hoping these charges might discourage others from engaging in dangerous stunts that imitate risky social media challenges,” he said. This issue isn’t restricted to Pennsylvania; a similar incident in Utah last year left a 15-year-old girl with serious brain injuries.
