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15-year-old Yazmin Esmeralda from Mexico accidentally shot herself while filming a video for TikTok. The teenager was recording a clip with her brother as she handled a 9mm Uzi submachine gun. The New York Post reported that the country's rampant drug culture inspired her to film the video.
Yazmin Esmeralda discovered the firearm at the bottom of a closet during her family's stay at her grandmother's home in Guasave, Sinaloa.
Unfortunately, as the event occurred, her brother witnessed her death. Her mother was woken up by the gunshots and immediately rushed for help.
Law enforcement says family failed to protect Yazmin Esmeralda
María Teresa Guerra Ochoa, head of the state’s women’s ministry, insinuated that the youngster admired drug traffickers, which led to her wanting to make the TikTok video with the gun. She said:
"There are sectors that admire drug traffickers. Many of them come from poverty and so they’re seen as symbols of success."
Sinaloa's state prosecutor, Sara Bruna Quiñonez Estrada, told Vice:
"That she chose to record a clip shows that our youth is immersed in [drug cartel] culture. It’s what they hear about at all hours."
The prosecutor added that this type of firearm is not meant to be kept at home or around children. Proceso reported that prosecutors have identified the teenager's father as the owner of the gun, but it is yet to be corroborated.
The prosecutor added that Yazmin Esmeralda's father could be held responsible for her death.
Estrada mentioned that due to its complicated features making it difficult to handle, the submachine gun is not being used by the Mexican army either. The gun has also been deemed a safety hazard, according to the prosecutor.
She added:
"The fact that there were weapons in the house, that weren’t controlled, is the responsibility of the adults who knew there were children in the house..."
This is not the first time a teenager has died while attempting to film a TikTok video. Many teens perished while attempting the Blackout Challenge, Benadryl Challenge, the Skull Breaker Challenge, and more.
