Missing little sisters in San Cataldo: investigations into the imitation of a social challenge

The investigations into the case of the two little sisters who disappeared in San Cataldo, Sicily, on 18 September and were found almost 24 hours later, are examining the hypothesis that behind the disappearance there was the idea of ​​imitating a challenge seen on YouTube and social media. The girls, who were found inside a shop not far from their home, remain in the community together with their four other siblings, awaiting decisions from the Juvenile Court.

The social challenge

According to what has been reconstructed, the girls, without their father's knowledge, snuck into the shop where they were later found, taking advantage of the closing operations, with the specific intention of spending the night inside. The Carabinieri also reconstructed the motivation behind the gesture, developed, as declared by the girls themselves, to emulate a similar practice seen on the YouTube platform and on the social channels of various influencers. In these videos the protagonists describe to their followers the experience of hiding inside shops, warehouses or other types of places, evading security measures, staying there all night and leaving the next day without being discovered. Some of this content, as ascertained during the analysis of navigation carried out on devices available to minors, has millions of views. It was precisely the repeated viewing of videos on this type of challenge by one of the two girls that led to the decision to reproduce the "challenge" and emulate the influencers, also involving her little sister in the conduct.

The owner of the business, upon reopening in the afternoon, would have noticed the presence of the two minors and alerted the Carabinieri.

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What does the challenge involve?

According to the so-called "24 Hour Overnight Challenge" you have to enter a shop before closing and hide so as not to be found so as to wait for the staff to leave and lower the shutters. At that point, you film your one-night challenge and then post the video on social media. The challenge would have spread as early as 2016, reports Il Corriere della Sera: the first would have been Ireland Boys Productions, with a famous video shot inside a Target store. The challenge would later go global on YouTube. The Wall Street Journal reported the situation in a 2018 article.

In Italy the challenge was replicated by Vito Pirone (known as PirlasV), Gianmarco Zagato and TheShow. Me against You instead produced a video, in collaboration, about the 24 hours spent in a toy chain store.

The prosecutor's appeal

The prosecutor for minors of Caltanissetta Rocco Cosentino has launched an appeal to children and parents about the risks of the internet. "Social media are part of the lives of our children, they are places of meeting, expression and knowledge, but using them requires awareness because concrete risks can hide behind a screen: cyberbullying, solicitation, uncontrolled diffusion of personal images". "We must help young people to understand that every word, every photo, every sharing can have real consequences for themselves and others. Respect for the person is as valid online as in everyday life. Families, schools and institutions have the task of listening, educating and building trust". Finally, the direct appeal to young people: "If something scares you, humiliates you or makes you uncomfortable, talk about it with a trusted adult. Asking for help is an act of courage. No one should feel alone when faced with the risks of the internet".