Warning to parents over Momo ‘suicide game’ as cops fear it is blame for mysterious deaths 16-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl in Colombia
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl and 16-year-old boy have killed themselves after playing the sick suicide challenge game Momo, it is reported.
The tragic deaths happened within the space of just 48 hours in the municipality of Barbosa, Colombia, according to local media.
Police say they believe the pair - who are yet to be officially named - died after taking part in the disturbing new online 'suicide game' Momo, reported.
Local media report that the body of the 16-year-old male teen was found first and that it is believed he knew the 12-year-old girl and reportedly passed the game onto her before his death.
Within 48 hours, she too was found dead. It is reported she was found by relatives hanged from a wardrobe.
The sick game Momo begins with an avatar - a haunting image of a woman with bulging eyes and long hair.
The shadowy controller sends violent images to the victim over the messaging app and then threatens the player if they refuse to follow the game's orders, according to reports.
FOR KIDS: How to say no
It can sometimes be hard to stand up to your friends, so Childline offers the following tips on how to say no:
1) Say it with confidence:
Be assertive. It’s your choice and you don’t have to do something which makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
2) Try not to judge them:
By respecting their choices, they should respect yours.
3) Spend time with friends who can say ‘no’:
It takes confidence and courage to say no to your friends. Spend time with other friends who also aren’t taking part.
4) Suggest something else to do:
If you don’t feel comfortable doing what your friends are doing, suggest something else to do.
Any child worried about peer pressure or online worries can contact on 0800 1111.
It is believed the game originated in a Facebook group and is now spreading around via messaging apps.
Players are apparently given challenges to do by the grim character 'Momo' which escalate, and finally results in them being challenged to take their own life.
If they do not complete the challenges they are reportedly threatened with being cursed with an "evil spell".
SAFETY NET: How to keep your child safe online
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Set up parental controls
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- The filters can help control what time of day your child can go online, and to stop them from downloading apps they are too young for
Talk to your children
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The tasks escalate over time until the 50th day when players are told to kill themselves.
Now the Momo game is taking over in South America, with investigators saying the game is registered to numbers located in Colombia and Mexico.
The avatar is a picture of a terrifying female sculpture created by special effects outfit Link Factory, which was recently featured in a display at an art gallery in Tokyo, Japan.
The two youngsters who died had their phones seized by police, who say they found messages linked with the game.
The Sun Online has requested comment from Whatsapp.
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Government secretary Janier Landono said: "Apparently, they practised this game through WhatsApp and it invited the young people to hurt themselves.
"The game has different challenges and the suicide is at the end."
These are the first deaths linked with the Momo in Colombia and now authorities are working with schools to warn youngsters against playing in a bid to keep suicide rates down.
To contact , you can call the helpline on 0808 800 5000 or children under 18 can call 0800 1111