Story By: Les Steed, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

An 11-year-old has committed suicide shortly after leaving his mother a chilling final message alluding to the maestro of the “Blue Whale” suicide challenge.

The boy died in what Naples police are calling a “deadly game” after he jumped from a 10 story window in via Mergellina, Chiaia district of the Italian city of Naples, at around 1am on Tuesday, 29th September.

Investigators looked into his tablet and found his final words: “I love you mum and dad. I have to follow the black man with the hood.”

Investigators have not ruled out speculation that the boy was making a reference to “horror challenges” linked to an online fictional character called Jonathan Galindo.

Galindo is a mysterious figure disguised as a humanoid dog in a dark hood who reportedly dares children to perform increasingly extreme and dangerous acts, culminating in their suicide.

Players must add Galindo on all social media channels before the game begins. Most of the people playing are children and teenagers.

Galindo is linked to the “Blue Whale Challenge” that is an alleged online “suicide game” aimed at teenagers which set 50 tasks over 50 days.

Tasks start with fairly banal things like “Wake up in the middle of the night” or “Watch a scary film” and gradually divulge into things like self-harm and putting oneself in mortal danger like “Stand on the ledge of a tower block.”

The final challenge is a demand that the user kill themselves.

The face of Galindo was created by a makeup artist who is against suicide and has denounced the association between his art and the character.

The child was described as healthy, sporty and popular from a middle-class family.

An investigation into instigated suicide is ongoing.

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