A lawsuit has been initiated concerning the tragic death of a teenager from Massachusetts who passed away after undertaking a social media challenge involving a spicy tortilla chip. Harris Wolobah, a high school sophomore from Worcester, died on September 1, 2023, after consuming the Paqui chip as part of the company’s “One Chip Challenge.” An autopsy revealed that Wolobah died due to ingesting a substantial amount of chile pepper extract and also had an existing heart defect. The autopsy report indicated that Harris died from cardiopulmonary arrest following the recent consumption of a food item with a high capsaicin content, the fiery component in chile peppers.
The autopsy also disclosed that Harris had an enlarged heart condition known as cardiomegaly and a congenital defect termed as “myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery.” Paqui, a Texas-based subsidiary of the Hershey Co., expressed sorrow over Wolobah’s passing, mentioning that the chip was explicitly labeled as unsuitable for children or individuals sensitive to spicy foods with underlying health conditions.
Packaged individually for approximately $10 in a coffin-shaped box, the Paqui chip bore a warning label cautioning that it was designed for the “vengeful pleasure of intense heat and pain,” earmarked for adult consumption exclusively, and should be kept away from children. Nevertheless, children had no difficulty purchasing the chips, with several incidents reported nationwide of teenagers falling ill after partaking in the chip-eating challenge. There were three high school students in California taken to a hospital and seven students in Minnesota treated by paramedics after accepting the challenge in 2022.
Participants in the challenge were required to eat the Paqui chip and then resist consuming any other food or water for as long as possible. The surge in chip sales was largely attributed to individuals posting videos on social media exhibiting themselves or their companions participating in the challenge. The videos depicted people, including children, unboxing the chip, eating it, and reacting to the intense heat, with some videos showing individuals gagging, coughing, and desperately requesting water.
Harris’ tragic demise prompted warnings from Massachusetts authorities and medical professionals, cautioning about the potential unintended consequences of consuming such spicy foods. Since the rise of the chip trend, poison control centers have alerted that the concentrated levels could lead to allergic reactions, breathing difficulties, irregular heart rhythms, as well as heart attacks or strokes.
