Boy who injected himself with crushed butterfly for 'online challenge' suffered week of agonising symptoms before death
19 February 2025, 13:40 | Updated: 19 February 2025, 13:50
A fourteen-year-old boy who reportedly died after injecting himself with a crushed butterfly suffered a series of agonising symptoms before his death.
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Davi Nunes Moreira, of Planalto, Brazil, passed away seven days after injecting a solution made from a crushed butterfly into his leg.
He did the stunt as part of a bizarre online challenge, according to local media.
Moreira quickly began vomiting and struggling to walk before his father decided to rush him to hospital.
Moreira initially denied what he had done but as his symptoms worsened - he admitted injecting the solution.
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The teen remained in hospital for the next seven days receiving specialist treatment.
Sadly, his symptoms only continued to get worse and doctors were unable to save him.
His official cause of death is yet to be confirmed but the Civil Police of Bahia have launched an official investigation into his passing.
Doctor Luiz Fernando D. Relvastold Brazilian told news site VivaBem Moreira’s death could “have been an embolism, an infection, or an allergic reaction.”
“We don't know how he prepared this mixture or the size of the fragments he managed to inject into the body,' he added.
“There may have been air left inside, which could lead to an embolism.”
Some local press has reported Moreira denied ever taking part in the challenge - this has been contested, however.
The boy initially told his father he had injured his leg while playing.
But as his symptoms worsened, Moreira admitted what he had done, local media reports.
His father later found a syringe under his pillow.
