TRAGIC

Coroner Finds Spicy Chip Challenge Was Cause of Teen’s Death

The teen died from cardiopulmonary arrest “in the setting of recent ingestion of food substance with high capsaicin concentration.”

A coroner has concluded that a 14-year-old’s death in Massachusetts last year was caused by eating one spicy chip as part of a social media challenge, confirming the family’s suspicions. Nearly six months after Harris Wolobah’s death, the coroner’s office was able to determine that Wolobah’s cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest “in the setting of recent ingestion of food substance with high capsaicin concentration.” On Sept. 1, 2023, Wolobah became ill after consuming the “One Chip Challenge” from Paqui, which contains extracts from the Carolina Reaper and Scorpion peppers, and later died. Paqui asked for retailers to stop selling the chip shortly after Wolobah’s death. The coroner’s report also stated that Wolobah had an enlarged heart and congenital heart defect.