A North Carolina woman faces criminal charges of letting her teenage son participate in a “fire challenge” video for social media.
The fire challenge is a disturbing new trend in which teens light themselves on fire using flammable liquid to see how quickly they can extinguish the flames.
Janie Lachelle Talley, 41, watched as her 16-year-old son attempted the challenge on July 29, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said. She was arrested on Aug. 6 and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, Reuters reported.
The video showed others put out the fire. The boy suffered minor burns on his chest and neck, Reuters reported.
“The mother of the victim was present and aware of what her son doing and facilitated the recording,” a police statement said.
Public health and law enforcement agencies have condemned the rising trend, which has resulted in several injured teens across the country.
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According to police, Facebook has removed fire challenge videos from its site to avoid copycats, the Charlotte Observer reported.
“The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department discourages this activity due to the extreme danger it poses to everyone involved and takes all complaints seriously,” the police statement said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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