Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 37-year-old streamer, believed to have died from an overdose after undertaking a dangerous online challenge. The incident, which occurred near Barcelona, is being treated as Spain's first fatality linked directly to an extreme internet dare.
The Tragic Discovery on New Year's Eve
Sergio Jimenez was found dead in his family home in Vilanova i la Geltru in the early hours of December 31st. His younger brother discovered him in a kneeling, prayer-like position on his bed. According to reports, the live webcam was still broadcasting, and family members claim they could hear followers' voices asking if he was "sleeping off a hangover" as they tried to assist him.
The scene described to police included an almost empty bottle of whisky, energy drink cans, and a pile of cocaine on a red plate. It is alleged Jimenez had agreed to consume the entire bottle of whisky and snort six grams of cocaine within a three-hour window for viewers who had paid to watch the stream.
A Mother's Pleas Ignored
In a heartbreaking account, Sergio's mother, Teresa, told Catalan newspaper El Periodico that she had begged her son not to drink alcohol hours before his death. She was concerned due to medication he was taking for psychiatric problems. Teresa recounted finding his door ajar just before 2am, seeing him kneeling, and being unable to enter the room because items were blocking the floor.
"I kept asking him from outside but he didn't answer. I could see him kneeling on the bed, as if he were praying," she said. One of her other sons, Daniel, confirmed the death and called emergency services.
Police Probe and Online Accountability
The Mossos d'Esquadra police force confirmed the investigation, stating they are awaiting full autopsy results and examining the context of the death. Crucially, they have not ruled out expanding the probe to determine if anyone could face criminal charges for possible "incitement to risky behaviour."
Spanish media reports suggest Jimenez was broadcasting to a private group where followers donated money to demand specific challenges. He is said to have been imitating Simon Perez, a well-known Spanish "e-beggar" who performs often drug-fuelled online stunts for cash. Perez, reacting to the death in a YouTube video, stated Jimenez had taken a "two-gram line" of cocaine, which "causes an overdose," while insisting his own conscience was clean.
This incident follows the death of French influencer Raphael Graven in August, after 10 days of filmed physical violence during a live stream. The Spanish case intensifies the growing scrutiny on the dangers of extreme online content and the potential legal responsibilities of both creators and their audiences.
