The tragic death of 14-year-old Caleb Morgan from El Dorado, Kansas, has exposed the dangers of online “sextortion” scams. Caleb’s mother revealed that he was targeted by someone posing as a 14-year-old girl on TikTok, a seemingly innocent conversation that soon turned threatening.
Caleb and the person behind the account moved their chat from TikTok to Snapchat, where the scammer sent what appeared to be compromising photos of herself and demanded Caleb send similar images. The situation escalated quickly when the scammer began demanding large sums of money under the threat of sharing Caleb’s private pictures.
Feeling helpless and overwhelmed, Caleb was led to believe his life had been ruined by this mistake. In a heartbreaking turn, he took his own life at home by shooting himself. His grieving mother described the devastating moment she arrived at the hospital, pleading with medical staff to save her son as she was kept from being with him.
The El Dorado Police later uncovered the terrifying extent of the scam by reviewing Caleb’s messages, revealing how quickly the scam had stolen his happiness and hope in just 35 minutes. Caleb had even sent a photo of the gun in an attempt to end the ordeal.
According to the FBI, “sextortion” involves criminals blackmailing victims with sexually explicit images to extract money or more images. These scams often start with threats claiming the abuser already has compromising material that will be shared unless demands are met.
Caleb’s story underscores the deep risks children face online and the devastating consequences these scams can have on vulnerable young people.
