Harris Wolobah’s family sues Paqui for death in chip challenge

The parents of Harris Wolobah, the teenager who died last year after participating in the Paqui “One Chip Challenge,” are suing the company over their son’s death.

On Thursday, lawyers for the teen’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit on her behalf against the company, as well as Hershey Co. and Walgreens, the store where Harris bought the chip. The family held a news conference where one of their attorneys, Douglas Sheff, spoke on their behalf. Sheff said the Wolobah family is making sure no other family has to experience such a tragic event.

“They struggle with this horrific situation every hour of their lives,” Sheff said. “They believe that by filing this lawsuit, they will ensure that this does not happen to other children and other families.”

Harris died in September 2023 after participating in a challenge to eat a single tortilla chip that was extremely spicy. An autopsy revealed that Harris had an enlarged heart, a congenital defect, and he died from ingesting a large amount of capsaicin, a chili pepper extract. After his death, Paqui announced that they would be removing the product from shelves and released a statement about the incident.

“We were and are deeply saddened by the passing of Harris Wolobah and extend our condolences to his family and friends,” a Paqui spokesperson said. “Paqui’s One Chip Challenge was intended for adults only and clear and prominent labeling indicated that the product is not suitable for children or anyone sensitive to spicy food or suffering from health conditions.”

They continued: “We have received increasing reports that young people and others have not heeded these warnings. Although the product met food safety standards, out of an abundance of caution, we worked with retailers to voluntarily remove the product from shelves in September 2023 and the One Chip Challenge has been discontinued.”

The chip was sold in a foil box in a coffin-shaped box, along with a warning that the product was for adults only and should be kept out of the reach of children. However, this did not stop numerous children from taking part in the challenge.

Another incident involving the chip involved a sixth-grader who began having difficulty breathing and vomiting after eating the chip. According to the child, he became ill after eating the product.

“When I ate the chip, it was really spicy and stuff. When it was gone, I was fine, then I got sick, I was in the office and my stomach started hurting, my hands were stuck in one position,” the child said. “I couldn’t move them. I could barely open them. It felt like they weren’t even my hands.”