The mother of a 12-year-old girl who tragically died while attempting risky social media challenges has disclosed how she pleaded with her daughter to cease such activities. Despite her mother’s warnings, the young girl, Zemfira Mukhtarov, engaged in dangerous stunts, including lying on train tracks, which ultimately led to her death in a subway surfing incident.
New York Post featured videos of Zemfira, a Brooklyn resident, whose parents repeatedly advised her against pursuing these perilous social media stunts. Despite their concerns, Zemfira persisted in taking extreme risks, such as recording herself on the train tracks as a train passed over her. Tragically, she lost her life near the Marcy Avenue-Broadway station in Brooklyn.
Upon returning home from work, Zemfira’s mother discovered that her daughter had sneaked out of the house in the early hours while the rest of the family was asleep. Shortly after, Zemfira and her 13-year-old friend, Ebba Morina from Manhattan, were found unconscious near the Williamsburg station and later declared deceased.
The 12-year-old had developed an obsession with performing daring stunts, including subway-related activities, trespassing in vacant mansions, and scaling tall buildings, often sharing these videos online.
Zemfira’s mother mentioned that she was unfamiliar with the companion her daughter was with and speculated that they might have connected online. Authorities reported that up to 15 youths were present in the subway area before the tragic incident. Zemfira’s father initiated a fundraising campaign for her funeral, receiving significant donations.
City officials continue to caution teenagers against participating in subway surfing, a trend escalating due to social media influence, which resulted in multiple fatalities in recent years. This cautionary advice follows the death of an 11-year-old British boy who suffered a cardiac arrest during a dangerous social media trend known as ‘chroming.’
In ‘chroming,’ individuals inhale hazardous substances like paint or solvents, leading to various health risks, including heart attacks. The boy’s grandmother urged social media platforms to enhance child protection measures in light of the incident. While TikTok denied any association with ‘chroming’ challenges, emphasizing their commitment to user safety.