Most of us have fond memories of nights spent at friends’ houses during our childhood.
But for teenager Nicholas Conrad from Arkansas , a sleepover turned into a real nightmare.
He woke up in the middle of the night screaming in pain. When he touched his neck, he realized it was badly burned.
The cause was a dangerous “challenge” that was circulating on the internet.
In recent years, many dangerous challenges have spread on social media, where young people risk their lives just for fun or online fame. One of them was the “Hot Water Challenge” , where boiling water is poured over the victim while they are asleep.
Nicholas learned about this the most painful way.
He had gone to sleep at a friend’s house, where six other boys were staying. While he was sleeping, they decided to give him this “challenge.”
When he woke up, he felt a terrible burning sensation in his neck.
“I felt a very strong burning sensation. I woke up screaming and crying,” Nicholas recalled.
Doctors determined that he had first- and second-degree burns , covering most of his neck.
“It was the most pain I have ever experienced,” he said.
He added that the boys who attacked him were no longer his friends.
“I just want them to leave me alone. They’re not my friends anymore and they never will be.”
His mother said she initially thought the boy had been in an accident.
But when she learned that everything had been done on purpose, she was shocked.
She urged parents to talk to their children about the dangers of online challenges.
“Never think: ‘My child wouldn’t do that.’ Educate them and talk to them.”
The police also reacted.
A local police official said they were working with schools to inform students that this is not a joke at all.
He warned that such actions could cause very serious injuries and the perpetrators could face serious criminal charges .
On the night the incident occurred, there were adults in the house, but they were sleeping and unaware of what was happening.
Nicholas’ story is a reminder that dangerous online “challenges” are no joke. They can have lasting consequences or even take your life, so children and teens need to be aware of the risks and parents need to talk openly with them about these phenomena.