El Paso parents believe son committed suicide playing Blue Whale Challenge

A family is grieving after they say their teenager committed suicide while playing the Blue Whale Challenge.

The online game — often secret — challenges its players to do certain tasks and eventually pressures them into committing suicide.

The challenge — believed to have started in Russia has allegedly influenced kids to commit suicide in Europe, India, the U.S and right here in El Paso.

“We shouldn’t be out at the cemetery for my son and lay flowers down there. He should be at school. He should get out at 4:30 and eat dinner with us not at a cemetery,” said El Paso mother Maria Bristow.

Bristow’s son 14-year-old DeAngelo Bristow committed suicide a few weeks ago.

“My life has been gone. I feel like I don’t even want to go on anymore,” Maria Bristow said.

Maria and her husband Tony Bristow got home to find their son dead from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head.

DeAngelo was an A-B student, attended early college pursing engineering and was an aspiring black belt karate instructor.

Both parents tell ABC-7 DeAngelo never showed signs of depression or withdrawal.

“As a mom, you would feel in your heart when something is wrong with your child,” Maria Bristow said.

Tony and Maria strongly believe DeAngelo was persuaded into committing suicide while playing the Blue Whale Challenge.

The game has made headlines across the world.

Russian media reports a man was arrested in Russia for starting the challenge, and he has admitted to trying to use psychological manipulation to convince teen girls to kill themselves.

The game starts with 50 challenges, starting off with simple tasks like taking pictures of their home or parents when they are not looking.

“This is how they get their information and turn it against the child telling them we are going to hurt your family or kill your family if you don’t go through with this challenge,” Tony Bristow said.

DeAngelo’s parents found several odd clues after their son’s death like nail polish remover in the room.

“I noticed his turquoise beautiful cross was missing and other things were missing,” Maria Bristow said.

DeAngelo had removed all the crucifixes from his room.

The Bristow’s urge parents to be aware of their children’s online practices.

“Parents out there don’t have any idea what their kids are getting into and we need to save these kids,” Maria Bristow said.

The Bristow’s tell ABC-7 one of the biggest red flags was that DeAngelo had a tablet facing him during his suicide.

This was the same practice used by the teen who committed suicide in San Antonio.

DeAngelo’s parents said they cannot access the tablet because he changed the password.

They believe the tablet holds more clues to what happened.

DeAngelo’s parents said children aren’t just being invited to play on Facebook. They say kids are getting invited to play through online games and Instagram as well.

Earlier this summer, El Paso police warned about the challenge.

They urge you to monitor your children’s online and phone activity.