A tragic incident resulted in the death of a teenager who participated in a dangerous TikTok challenge that also caused serious injuries to another individual.
The 17-year-old, identified as David Nagy, lost his life while engaging in the “surfing” challenge, where participants attach objects or themselves to moving vehicles. This fatal event occurred when David was riding on a table tethered to a car driven by a friend at a high school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The driver, unnamed in reports, utilized a rope to secure the table to the vehicle and drove recklessly, leading to the fatal head injury suffered by David. The driver is now facing charges of involuntary manslaughter according to District Attorney Stephen Baratta.
In a separate incident, Eniya Serina Alvarado, 19, was involved in a similar challenge where her friend, aged 20, sustained severe head injuries after being thrown from the vehicle as Alvarado drove at 35mph in a parking lot on March 18. Alvarado is now facing charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault by vehicle.
Although both incidents were not premeditated to harm the victims, prosecutors argue that the participants exhibited gross negligence and recklessness, making them criminally responsible for the consequences. Authorities have labeled the “surfing trend” on TikTok as dangerous, emphasizing the real-world risks associated with such challenges.
TikTok has taken action by removing car surfing videos that violate its community guidelines and redirecting related searches to support resources to deter the creation of such content. The platform reported proactive removal of 99.8% of offending clips and taking down 92.4% of rule-violating videos before they are viewed, between January and March 2025.
Both cases are expected to be settled out of court, and the teenagers involved may have their criminal charges expunged as first-time offenders. The incidents underscore the importance of understanding the severe consequences of participating in risky challenges that can endanger lives.
