Brandon Guffey's 17-year-old son Gavin died by suicide in July 2022 after being targeted by a sextortionist on Instagram. Guffey, now a South Carolina state representative, has spent four years fighting for justice and for social media companies to do more to safeguard young users. He has written a book, Tomorrow Needs You, published on 22 October.
The night of the tragedy
Guffey's last exchange with Gavin happened around 1.30am on a hot July night in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Guffey had returned home just before midnight after a local event. The house was quiet; his wife Melissa and their two younger sons were asleep. Gavin was gaming in his bedroom, laughing with friends. Guffey recalls, "I often say Gavin was living his best life at that point. He'd just got comfortable in who he was."
A friend request came in on Gavin's Instagram from BellaJanet28, who appeared to be a volleyball player from a local college. The conversation led to a game of truth or dare, intimate photos, and then a sextortion attempt. BellaJanet28 demanded money, threatening to share the images with Gavin's contacts.
Moments after their last exchange, Guffey heard a crash from the bathroom and found his son on the floor. He says, "I'll never stop replaying it. They're etched into me for ever."
Gavin's Law and advocacy
Through Guffey's campaigning, "Gavin's Law" was passed in South Carolina, making sextortion a felony and mandating education about it in all schools. Last year, Guffey won reforms requiring social media companies to activate safety features for users under 16, including parental permission, prohibitions on direct marketing, "infinite scroll", and automatic video playback. He founded the non-profit Less Than 3 to campaign and support affected families.
Guffey is a passionate advocate for repealing section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act, which gives platforms legal immunity for user-generated content. He says, "I would love to see no social media for any minor, but if the tech companies could be held civilly liable for what they are delivering to children, they would prioritise safety over profits."
Justice and the accused
The investigation by the FBI and South Carolina law enforcement led to the extradition of Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal from Nigeria in January 2025. He pleaded not guilty to charges including child exploitation resulting in death, cyberstalking, and coercion. The pretrial is scheduled for December.
Guffey reflects on his grief: "When Gavin died, I made a vow that his death would not be meaningless. My mission until the day I die will be to try and make sure no other teenager feels as trapped, ashamed and hopeless as he did that night."
