A disturbing incident in Planalto, Brazil has left the country in shock after 14-year-old Davi Nunes Moreira died from complications believed to be linked to a viral online challenge.
The teenager reportedly injected a mixture made from crushed butterfly wings and water into his leg, resulting in a painful seven-day medical crisis that ended in his death in February.
While the exact motivations remain unclear, the tragedy has reignited concerns about the dangerous influence of viral internet trends, particularly among youth seeking online notoriety.
According to reports from the Daily Mail and local Brazilian media, Davi initially told his father that he had simply hurt himself while playing.
But as his condition worsened—with symptoms including vomiting and a limp—his father discovered a syringe under his pillow.
Davi later confessed to hospital staff that he had prepared the strange injection himself, crushing a dead butterfly and mixing it with water before injecting the solution into his leg.
Despite receiving professional medical care, Davi’s health continued to deteriorate. He succumbed after a week-long struggle that left doctors puzzled and devastated.
Dr. Luiz Fernando D. Relvas, a specialist at the hospital where Davi was treated, told VivaBem that the case could have involved an embolism, severe infection, or an allergic reaction.
“We don’t know how he prepared this mixture or the size of the fragments he managed to inject,” Relvas said. “There may have been air left inside, which could lead to an embolism.”
Toxicology experts are now examining whether the injection of butterfly-derived substances may have triggered organ failure or septic shock.
Professor Marcelo Duarte, a butterfly biologist from São Paulo University’s Zoology Museum, told Daily Mail that while butterflies are generally not considered toxic to humans, their internal fluids are not well-studied in this context.
“Butterflies have a complex biology, and the fluids in their bodies haven’t been researched in depth for toxicity in humans,” Duarte explained.
Civil Police in Vitória da Conquista are leading the investigation.
An autopsy is pending, and authorities are trying to determine whether Davi was directly influenced by a specific online challenge or acted on curiosity stemming from a viral experiment.
Although some outlets claim the boy was attempting to follow a known trend, others report that he denied that connection before his death.
This case is the latest in a series of disturbing viral dares. In April 2024, Brazilian influencer “Thammy MC” nearly lost her toes after standing in a bucket of ice and salt for a challenge shared with her 2 million followers. The stunt left her unable to walk, and she was hospitalized with severe tissue damage.
As similar stories surface around the world, experts are urging parents and schools to remain vigilant about online trends, warning that even seemingly harmless dares can escalate into life-threatening situations.
