Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

14‑Year‑Old Takes Own Life Minutes After Scam Threats

By Orgesta Tolaj

|

3 July 2025

14‑Year‑Old

© Kennedy News and Media

Save Post

Caleb Moore, a 14-year-old from El Dorado, Kansas, thought he was innocently flirting online with a girl of the same age. Within minutes, the interaction escalated into a sextortion scam: he received compromising images, reciprocated, and then was blackmailed for money. Overwhelmed by fear and shame, Caleb took his own life just 35 minutes after the conversation began.

A Mother’s Mission to Warn Others

His mother, Morgan Moore, now shares their household’s last agonizing moments. She describes panicked desperation as police discovered messages showing the 14-year-old even sent a photo of the gun in a plea for mercy. Morgan emphasizes that Caleb believed he had nowhere to turn—that the scammer made him feel his mistake was unforgivable. She urges parents and children alike: if anything online makes you uncomfortable or afraid, speak to a trusted adult immediately.

14‑Year‑Old
© Kennedy News and Media

How Sextortion Scams Work

The National Crime Agency defines sextortion as criminals posing as peers who rapidly shift conversations to sexual content and manipulate victims into sending compromising images. They then threaten to expose these unless payment is made. The incident involving Caleb underscores how swiftly scammers can inflict emotional trauma and irreversible consequences in under an hour.

Platforms’ Safety Measures Questioned

TikTok claims that direct messaging is disabled for users under 16 in the U.S., while Snapchat enforces private accounts and strict friend-only messaging settings for teens. Both platforms also offer family safety tools. However, Caleb’s case illustrates significant system vulnerabilities, suggesting a need for more rigorous vetting or monitoring of suspect accounts.

14‑Year‑Old
© Kennedy News and Media

Support, Scholarship, and Ongoing Advocacy

Following Caleb’s death, a fundraiser was established to support his family and create a local athletic scholarship in his memory. His mother collaborates closely with law enforcement, urging education campaigns around mental health and digital awareness in schools. Authorities maintain that sextortion is a growing threat, particularly for children and young adults.

A Final Plea from a Grieving Mother

Morgan Moore stresses that sextortion is not just about the explicit material—it manipulates vulnerability and shame. She reminds youth that asking for help isn’t a weakness. “They try to make you feel powerless,” she says, “but there is always someone who cares.” Caleb’s tragic death is a powerful call: online risks must be recognized, and real conversations must be encouraged.

You might also want to read: 16-Year-Old Boy Takes His Own Life After AI Nude Photo Blackmail

Orgesta Tolaj

Your favorite introvert who is buzzing around the Hive like a busy bee!

Share