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Subway Surfing Tragedy: Two Girls Dead, Mother Sues Meta and TikTok

The deadly trend of subway surfing claims two more lives in NYC. A grieving mother fights back, suing social media giants for promoting risky behaviour.

Graffiti is on the train. These are cables. Background there are houses with windows.
Graffiti is on the train. These are cables. Background there are houses with windows.

Subway Surfing Tragedy: Two Girls Dead, Mother Sues Meta and TikTok

Two girls were found dead on a New York City subway train Saturday morning, sparking fresh concern about the dangerous trend of 'subway surfing'. The incident has left the city mourning and prompted calls for stricter action against the practice. Norma Nazario, mother of a 15-year-old boy who died in a similar incident in February, has filed a lawsuit against social media companies Meta and ByteDance, alleging they encourage such risky behaviour.

The lawsuit claims that these platforms intentionally promote dangerous challenges to minors. It comes after an NBC News review revealed 18 deaths related to subway surfing in New York City since 2023. The girls' ages in the latest incident remain unconfirmed, but NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow has described the incident as a tragedy. New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has expressed condolences to the families and highlighted the dangers of the practice.

In response to the ongoing issue, the NYPD has started using drones to spot people riding on trains. Crichlow has repeatedly warned about the dangers of subway surfing, emphasizing that riding on top of trains is not a safe activity.

The lawsuit against Meta and ByteDance is the latest development in the city's efforts to curb subway surfing. It follows a previous wrongful death lawsuit filed by the mother of a 15-year-old boy who died in a similar incident in 2023. As the city mourns the latest victims, authorities continue to urge the public to avoid such dangerous activities and to report any instances they witness.

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