37-year-old Spanish streamer Sergio Jiménez reportedly died after ingesting cocaine and whiskey on camera during a private livestream.
As reported by People via Spanish outlets El País and El Periódico, Jiménez took part in a private broadcast on New Year’s Eve, during which he allegedly participated in challenges in exchange for money. Fellow streamer Simón Pérez, with whom he collaborated, said that Jiménez consumed at least six grams of cocaine and drank an entire bottle of whiskey on the night of his death.
In a disturbing clip circulating online, Jiménez could be seen snorting a line of cocaine during the stream.
The Catalan police force Mossos d’Esquadra has launched an investigation into his death and will get an autopsy performed on his body. Authorities have yet to issue a public statement on his death, but did share a video online on Jan. 6, cautioning streamers from participating in any “viral challenges” that pose a threat to their life.
“The consequences of these trends can range from intoxication to physical and psychological effects, and can also have a negative impact on their reputation, affecting job and academic opportunities due to the digital footprint left behind,” the force said in the video, which can be seen here. “It's important to be aware that some trends can have consequences if they involve acts of vandalism or aggression.”
Last year, French streamer Jean Pormanove died during a live broadcast, which received widespread criticism due to the abuse he allegedly faced during a stream that ran almost 300 hours. In the stream, he was throttled, shot with paintballs, and doused in water by fellow streamers.
Following an autopsy, medical examiners found bruises but determined his death “was not traumatic in origin,” and was not “related to the intervention of a third party.
