Latest Headlines
- Tate High School Names 2026 Valedictorian, Salutatorian And Top 10% Graduates
- Two People Displaced By Velor Road Residential Fire
- ECSO: No Charges To Be Filed In Accidental Cantonment Double Shooting
- Rivers Up Just Inches As Area Remains In A Severe Drought
- Century, Cottage Hill, And Molino Utilities Staff Complete Infrastructure Mapping Training
- Atmore Man Charged With Three Counts Of Attempted Murder In Brewton
- Non-Profit To Hold Horse Tack Sale on Saturday
- Ernest Ward Middle School Holds 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony
- NOAA Predicts Below Normal 2026 Hurricane Season
- UWF Announces First Division 1 Season Schedule
Update: ECSO Says Reported School Bus Incident In Bratt Was A TicTok Challenge
May 1, 2026
A reported suspicious incident involving a 10-year-old student in Bratt that occurred Thursday afternoon has been determined to have been teenagers participating in a TikTok challenge, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said mid-afternoon on Friday.
The Bratt Elementary School student had just gotten off his school bus on North Highway 99 near Highway 168. The incident involved a white vehicle, possibly a Hyundai Santa Fe, occupied by two white males.
According to deputies, the vehicle came to a halt as he exited the school bus, and the passenger reportedly attempted to offer candy to the student. The child immediately notified his parents, who then contacted the Sheriff’s Office.
The parents of both teens and the two teens have been identified and contacted by the ECSO. They are not being charged.
“While this situation did not involve an actual abduction attempt, we want to stress that these types of “pranks” can be extremely dangerous and are taken very seriously. Actions like this can cause fear, prompt emergency responses, and potentially put individuals at risk,” the ECSO said. “We encourage parents to speak with their children about the real-world consequences of participating in social media challenges, especially those involving strangers or minors.”
The child’s mom told NorthEscambia.com on Friday morning that she was terrified by the incident and deeply concerned.
“It scared the hell out of me. It made me feel like someone is targeting children by following buses and getting these kids’ routines and what they do when they get off the bus so they know who to target,” the child’s mother said. “It scared me that something like this could happen in our small little town. Now he has to be back in after school care because some sicko is prowling for children.”
The Sheriff’s Office said the agency appreciates the community’s vigilance and continues to encourage reports of suspicious activity.
Photos and video for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
16 Responses to “Update: ECSO Says Reported School Bus Incident In Bratt Was A TicTok Challenge”
It’s always a “challenge” when they get caught. What happens when they don’t? We have to see the results on the news.
The thing is… this day and time , these little punks. That thought it was funny to do a stupid prank. May be laughing now. But what if say the parents took it to far and pulled a gun and shot one or both of them. Because they were scared for their child’s safety. The world these days have parents all paranoid of what’s gonna happen next. Pranks need to be thought out and make sure it’s safe. There’s a place and time for these things. Stay safe. Keep our kids safe!!
To all those who say the teens should be charged… Charged with what? YES, what they did and the concern they caused was a series of bad choices on their part, no question there. But did they actually break any laws? From what I’ve read here, they offered candy to a kid they didn’t know. That’s a dumb idea, but not illegal. And unless any of you have more information than what’s in this article, I don’t see where they did anything that was an arrestable offense.
They should be charged and i agree with the others shut down tic tok this is unreal that kids are really that dumb now days to try to kidnap a child as a challenge. That is serious jail time or death if I got to them first. This is so crazy that these kids now days have no common sense!
They should be arrested anyway. That little “dare”, and that’s exactly what it is, caused quite a bit of nonsense. TicToc needs to be PadLocked!
Good way to catch some lead.
I agree with mic
Who knows what the rest of the challenge was once he got in car . No excuses they should be punished for crime committed period
So the next pedophile trying to lure kids in his car can just claim it was a Ticktock Challenge if he gets caught!!!!
REALLY!!!
No matter the claim they should be treated like they acting. Act like you are going to grab a kid get punished like you were going to grab a kid.
I have said from the beginning of Tic Toc that it would lead to no Good! I don’t like it and most of it is not true. Be careful what you read and don’t trust it!!
New tic tok challenge.
Being this stupid without getting SHOT.
Willing to die over a Tik Tok challenge? If I found the before the cops they would be dead, I wouldn’t even give them a chance to come up with an excuse for their actions.
So glad that he wasn’t harmed at all ,it wasn’t funny at all ,good parenting to Mom& Dad
So glad no one was harmed ,I agree with his parents it’s not funny at all .
Maybe the local community citizens need to gather up!
We will be watching for them and anyone stupid enough to try anything that would harm or scare our children. Think carefully before you come back to Bratt.
That looks like a fairly new car and if it is equiped with Hyundai Bluelink, the ECSO can contact Hyundai USA and there is a pretty good chance they can give them the VIN of every Santa Fe that was in that area at that date/time. It’s all downhill from there.