Mum suing TikTok over death of child gives parents chilling warning - The Mirror

A mum who believes her child may have died after a social media challenge went wrong but has been blocked from accessing his account - now she is battling TikTok for answers

A mum who is suing TikTok over the death of her 14-year-old son has said it is “ridiculous” she has to cross continents to try to get answers.

Ellen Roome believes her child Julian “Jools” Sweeney may have died after a social media challenge went wrong but has been blocked from accessing his account. In a landmark case, she is one of five British families suing TikTok for the alleged wrongful deaths of their kids.

Speaking to The Mirror, Ms Roome, from Cheltenham, said she believes her son would be looking down and be proud of the fight she is putting up for him and other children. She said: “I think this has always been about trying to get answers for my son, but it's become a bigger picture. So it's not just my son.

“Now I've met these other parents, and I have met newly bereaved parents, it has become a bigger picture about making a difference for children all over the world. This is not a UK problem. It's a global problem."

TikTok insists it can no longer access the watch or search history from Jools’s social media account as it is required to delete people’s personal data under the law.

Ms Roome has accused TikTok of having no morals and suggested the social media platform has something to “hide” given its refusal to release the data, adding: “It's ridiculous that we've got to go across the pond to try and sue for our children's data when we're in England. It's crazy, but the English system isn't set up to be able to sue properly. It's ridiculous.”

And speaking about TikTok, Ms Roome said: “They have no morals. They don't seem interested in us as parents. If they had nothing to hide, why would they not just say: ‘Here you go, parents, here's your child's social media data. I hope you get some answers.’ The fact that they won't give us our children's data, to me, says, well, what are you hiding? Why wouldn't you release it?”

Jools was found unconscious in his bedroom in April 2022. An inquest into his death later found he took his own life. The coroner said it was unlikely he intended to do so but that the precise details were unclear.

Ms Roome, who has been battling since 2024 to get answers about her son’s death, said: “It's draining. It's emotionally exhausting. As a group of parents, we just want answers as to why our children aren't here, and we shouldn't have to fight so hard.”

The lawsuit, which was filed last year and will have an important hearing on Friday, claims that Jools, Isaac Kenevan, 13, Archie Battersbee, 12, Maia Walsh, 13, and Noah Gibson, 11, died while attempting the so-called "blackout challenge".

The viral challenge encourages people to choke themselves until they pass out. TikTok - which is owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance - insists the challenge has been blocked on its site since 2020. Ms Roome said the families are suing in Delaware because ByteDance is incorporated there.

She said Friday's hearing is a motion to dismiss, with TikTok trying to get the case thrown out over claims the case should have been brought in the UK If unsuccessful, the lawsuit will proceed to the discovery stage, where TikTok could be legally compelled to disclose internal records and the children’s account data. This stage could take years.

Archie was found unconscious at his family home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on April 7, 2022. A coroner concluded he died following a “prank or experiment” that went wrong and did not rule out the possibility he was taking part in online challenges.

Maia was found dead at her home in Hertfordshire – just short of her 14th birthday – in October 2022. She is thought to have killed herself accidentally, after watching self-harm videos on TikTok. An inquest into her death has said its focus will be on TikTok.

Isaac found her son lifeless on the bathroom floor of their home in Essex, in March 2022. His devastated mother believes that he was taking part in a TikTok “choking" challenge when he died. Earlier this month, Ms Roome wrote online that the four original families who brought the lawsuit would be joined by the mum of Noah Gibson, 11, whose story has not been reported publicly.

Alongside the US lawsuit, Ms Roome is campaigning in the UK for Jools’ Law, a proposal calling for a child’s online data to be preserved immediately following their death.

“When a child dies, the data should be preserved so it's immediately there as it forms evidence to what happened to the child,” she said. "If we can change the law in the UK so that it preserves the data, the rest of the world is going to start looking at the UK and saying: 'Well, look at what the UK has done.' I think Jools would be looking down very proud."

Baroness Beeban Kidron has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament, demanding data preservation be made automatic upon a child’s death. It is expected to be debated at the end of the month.

The crossbench peer told The Mirror: “Officials and governments have let these families down - they must make it automatic and they must listen to the experience of families. For the state to let you down when you are at the worst moment when your child has died - is cruelty upon tragedy.” She said the Government appears “sympathetic” to her demands, but added: “I don't want feelings. I want action.”

“My frustration has turned to anger that those entrusted with the safety and security of UK citizens - go home every night to their families, go on holiday, have Christmas and birthdays - but are so caviller about the pain of those who have lost children," she said.

“My faith in the system has been sorely tried by this issue, multiple governments, multiple ministers and multiple regulators - and not one - has simply said - ‘this must be done so I will do it’ - it is the only reasonable answer.”

A TikTok spokesman said: “Our deepest sympathies remain with these families. We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour. Using robust detection systems and dedicated enforcement teams to proactively identify and remove this content, we remove 99% that's found to break these rules before it is reported to us. As a company, we comply with the UK’s strict data protection laws.”

:: Contact the Samaritans for mental health support on 116 123, email at josamaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.