Worcester, MA — A Massachusetts family has lodged a wrongful death suit following the tragic demise of 14-year-old Harris Wolobah, whose death has been linked to the consumption of a notoriously spicy snack. This legal action zeros in on the manufacturers and a retail giant, accusing them of reckless product marketing and accessibility to children.
The lawsuit claims Harris fell severely ill shortly after consuming a Paqui One Chip Challenge chip, a product notorious for its extreme spiciness, provided by a friend at school. The product in question is sold in a coffin-shaped box, containing a single tortilla chip that is heavily seasoned with some of the world’s hottest peppers. Hours after eating the chip, Harris, who initially visited the school nurse, tragically died.
Filed in Suffolk County Superior Court, the lawsuit targets not only Paqui but also its parent companies, Amplify Snack Brands and The Hershey Co., as well as Walgreens, which retailed the chip. The plaintiffs, Lois and Amos Wolobah, allege that these companies failed to safely regulate or halt the distribution of a product dangerously marketed towards minors.
According to their attorney, Douglas Sheff, the chip is of such a risky nature that it should not have been consumed by anyone. “This product should have been nowhere near shelves, certainly not where children could get to it,” Sheff said during a press statement.
The product’s ingredients include the Carolina Reaper and the Naga Viper peppers, previously listed by the Guinness World Records as the hottest peppers globally. These peppers can reach up to 2.2 million Scoville heat units, a sharp contrast to the milder jalapeño which tops out around 8,000 units.
The morning Harris succumbed, he was one of several students participating in the One Chip Challenge, a viral dare encouraging individuals to endure the intense heat as long as possible before quenching it. This incident at school was not isolated; Harris’s reaction happened after he sought help from a teacher and was subsequently wheeled to the nurse’s office. Later that day, after being sent home, his condition worsened, leading his panicked mother to call emergency services. Despite prompt medical attention, he could not be revived.
This is not the first instance of severe reactions linked to the One Chip Challenge. Prior reports indicate similar incidents in schools across California, New Mexico, and Texas, where the chip’s high capsaicin content necessitated medical interventions.
Following an autopsy, a medical examiner concluded in February that Harris died of cardiac arrest triggered by eating a high-capsaicin food. The report also noted underlying health conditions, including an enlarged heart and a rare congenital heart defect, which were exacerbated by the spicy food intake.
In response to the growing controversy and national scrutiny ignited by the incident, Paqui pulled the product from retail in September, following the tragedy. The company expressed sorrow over the incident and emphasized that the challenge was meant for adults, warning against its consumption by children or those sensitive to spicy foods.
Adding context to the legal action, Sheff mentioned that the lawsuit aims to protect other children and hold corporations accountable. “The Wolobahs’ suit is more than just about their tragic loss; it’s about making a statement against irresponsible corporate behaviors that prioritize profits over the well-being of children,” he stated.
As the case proceeds, it raises critical questions about product safety, marketing practices targeting young consumers, and the responsibilities of retail outlets in controlling access to potentially hazardous products.