A 14-year-old boy tragically died after ‘injecting himself with a butterfly’ as part of an ‘online challenge.’
Davi Nunes Moreira, of Planalto, Brazil, reportedly suffered an agonising seven-day death in hospital.
The teenager is said to have originally told his father he had suffered an injury while playing.
However, as the boy’s symptoms worsened, he reportedly admitted to what he had done.
Despite receiving specialist treatment, Davi’s condition sadly worsened, and doctors were unable to save him.
An official cause of death has yet to be determined, however, the Civil Police of Bahia have launched an investigation into his passing.
A spokesperson stated: “The autopsy results will help clarify the cause of death.
“The investigation is designed to clear up what happened.”
A teenager reportedly injected a solution made from a crushed butterfly into his leg as part of a dangerous social media trend, according to local reports.
Shortly after, he began vomiting and developed a limp.
After being admitted to the hospital, Boy Davi allegedly confessed to the injection, telling doctors he had purchased supplies from a pharmacy, mixed a dead butterfly with water, and then injected the liquid into his leg.
While cleaning the house, Davi’s father reportedly discovered the syringe hidden under his son’s pillow.
Dr. Luiz Fernando D. Relvas told VivaBem that the teen’s death could have been caused by “an embolism, an infection, or an allergic reaction.”
“We don’t know how he prepared the mixture or the size of the fragments he injected into his body,” the doctor explained. “There may have been air left inside, which could have led to an embolism.”
Authorities are now investigating whether Davi suffered septic shock due to toxins in the injection, which may have caused his body to shut down.
Professor Marcelo Duarte, director of Sao Paulo University’s Zoology Museum and a butterfly specialist, said (per MailOnline): “Butterflies have a complex biology, and the fluids present in their bodies have not been studied in depth in terms of their toxicity to humans.”
Some Brazilian media outlets are openly speculating that Davi picked up on an experiment he saw online, however, the teen is said to have denied this allegation before his death.
