15-Year-Old Intentionally Set School Laptop On Fire for Social Media Challenge

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Children have always been easily influenced. As they reach pre-teen and teenage years, they care more and more about the opinions of their peers than their families. These young people occasionally do outlandish and foolish things to get the attention and approval of their classmates.

These days, social media has heightened both the outrageous stunts kids pull, as well as the number of eyes they can attract. One New Jersey student is now facing criminal charges after participating in the Chromebook Challenge. 

The challenge involves inserting metal objects in USB ports.

A 15-year-old student at Belleville High School in Essex County intentionally set a laptop on fire participating in the viral TikTok Challenge, NJ.com reported. The challenge shows students inserting objects like pencil lead, paper clips, and other metal objects into the USB ports of the Chromebooks owned by schools across the country. The idea is to cause an electrical short circuit. In Belleville, the challenge worked. 

A teacher saw the smoking laptop.

Police and fire officials arrived at the high school at 9:13 a.m., responding to a fire that forced the entire school to evacuate. Then, they found a charred Chromebook outside of the building. Officials said a teacher saw the computer smoking and removed it from the building as children evacuated the school. As a result of his actions, law enforcement charged the teen with third degree arson and criminal mischief. 

Several schools have been affected.

The police are urging parents to speak to their children about the ramifications of the challenge. “The Belleville Police and Fire Departments strongly urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the dangers of participating in online trends that can result in serious harm or criminal charges,” police said in a statement.

Belleville isn’t the only school affected by the Chromebook Challenge. A school in New York recently released students early after a student attempted the challenge, News 12 reported. And, two weeks earlier, a school in Connecticut evacuated its students as well, WFSB reports. 

‘What may seem like a fun experiment online can quickly turn into something much more serious!’ one school district wrote.

After this latest incident, in an effort to curb participation in these challenges, several New Jersey school districts issued notices to parents. Vincent Caputo, superintendent of Metuchen schools in Middlesex County, sent a warning home.

“We urge you to have a conversation with your child about the dangers and consequences of participating in such trends,” he wrote. “Emphasize the importance of using technology responsibly and the potential risks associated with tampering with electronic devices.”

Another school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, warned parents and students, via Facebook. “What may seem like a ‘fun experiment’ online can quickly turn into something much more serious!!!” they posted. The note also stated that participating in the challenge could result in suspension of laptop privileges for the remainder of the school year.