Cops warn parents ‘evil’ Momo character is back and being spliced into ‘Baby Shark’ videos on YouTube
POLICE have warned parents that Momo has returned with a vengeance and is appearing in 'Baby Shark' videos.
Momo tells viewers to look for a knife and cut themselves in the new videos, according to reports.
The 'Momo Challenge', which made headlines last year, saw WhatsApp users enticed to contact ‘Momo’, a scary looking female figure with bulging eyes.
After contacting the character, users were said to receive graphic images along with instructions to perform dangerous tasks that even included suicide.
The Samaritans and the NSPCC said there is no confirmed evidence anyone has come to physical harm and that the Momo Challenge is a hoax, but Spanish police believe it has returned in videos viewed by children.
They claim it has resurfaced in Baby Shark videos, which are singalong clips that receive millions of views.
According to local media, there is one video which features the character saying: “Hi, I am Momo. I want to play with you.
"Look for a knife in your kitchen and cut your little hands.
"If you do not do it, Momo will come after you.”
What is the Momo Challenge?
Momo is a disturbing WhatsApp "suicide" game which is feared to have influenced children to take their own lives across the world.
According to the Computer Crime Investigation Unit in the Mexican state of Tabasco, the game started on Facebook where members were "challenged" to communicate with an unknown number.
Several users have reportedly claimed that Momo responds with violent images and players are threatened if they refuse to follow the game's "orders" and dares.
However, it is not clear what the number is, although several fake numbers have reportedly been posted online.
The avatar used by Momo is an image of a woman with grotesque features and bulging eyes.
It is from a sculpture created by special effects outfit Link Factory, and was recently featured in a display at an art gallery in Tokyo, Japan.
A police social media campaign warned parents: “No, Momo does not exist, it is an old viral character that has resurfaced with some damaging modifications.
“We have to work together to not allow it to spread.”
Authorities announced that they are investigating numerous videos while asking parents to “supervise what videos their children watch online, especially the younger ones”.
The police have asked citizens to report anything suspicious they see on social media immediately.
Momo has been linked to a series of reported suicides among youngsters across the globe in countries including Colombia, Argentina and India.
A teenager in India's death was linked to Momo after he was found in a shed which had the words "Illuminati" and "Devil's one eye" scrawled on the wall.
Police in Argentina said the game was linked to the death of a 12-year-old girl who took her own life.
One British mum said her son had even been told to put a knife to his neck in one of the sick challenges, while a six-year-old was warned "I'm going to kill you" while watching a kids' gaming channel.
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