A 16-year-old boy from Utah is fighting for his life after attempting the dangerous 'couch surfing' trend popular on social media. Levi Teemant spent his birthday in a medically induced coma after being flown to hospital in critical condition.
The trend involves sitting on a couch being pulled by a vehicle at high speed. Levi's mother, Amy, told KSL that her son had initially said he would not take part, but changed his mind after seeing friends complete it 'successfully'. The couch leg broke, causing him to fall and suffer horrific injuries.
Levi sustained broken ribs, spinal and facial fractures, as well as a serious skull fracture and traumatic brain injuries. He has started to regain consciousness after more than 12 days without movement. Doctors at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City said this was the third such case they had seen.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with medical expenses. Amy is now warning other teens and parents about the dangers of the trend. Provo Police have confirmed a criminal investigation is underway.
TikTok has placed warnings on related videos and stated that such activities violate its community guidelines. This follows other dangerous trends, such as 'Senior Assassin', which have prompted police warnings.
