Police in Spain are investigating the death of a streamer who allegedly died live on camera after taking part in an extreme online challenge involving alcohol and drugs.
Sergio Jimenez, 37, is believed to have overdosed after reportedly agreeing to drink an entire bottle of whisky and snort six grams of cocaine within three hours as part of a paid livestream challenge.
The streamer was found dead by his younger brother at the family home he shared with their mother in Vilanova i la Geltrú, near Barcelona. He was discovered kneeling beside his bed in what relatives described as a “prayer-like” position, while his webcam continued streaming to viewers.
On January 5, police confirmed they are probing what Spanish media have described as the country’s first death linked to an extreme online challenge. Investigators have not ruled out expanding the case to determine whether any viewers or organizers could face criminal responsibility for alleged incitement to risky behavior.
Streamer’s family was warned about his “dangerous” content
According to family members, voices could still be heard coming from Sergio’s computer as they tried to help him. Some viewers, reportedly part of a private group who had paid to watch the stream, were heard asking whether he was “sleeping off a hangover” and urging him to finish the whisky.
Sergio’s mother, Teresa, told Catalan outlet El Periódico that the family had been warned months earlier about his online activity. She said her eldest son, Jordi, had raised concerns that Sergio was spiraling and producing increasingly dangerous and “extreme” content.
“I got up to go to the bathroom just before 2am and saw the door to his room was ajar,” Teresa said. “I asked him what he was doing but he didn’t answer. I could see him kneeling on the bed, as if he were praying.”
Sergio Jimenez died after an “extreme” stream challenge.
Another brother, Daniel, rushed to the room after the alarm was raised and confirmed Sergio had already died before emergency services were called. He told local media there was an almost empty bottle of whisky, energy drink cans, and drugs on a red plate near the computer, which was still playing audio from viewers.
Spanish reports claim Sergio was streaming to a private audience, with viewers donating money and demanding increasingly extreme acts in exchange for cash.
A spokesperson for the regional police force, Mossos d’Esquadra, confirmed an active investigation.
“We are investigating the death of a 37-year-old man found lifeless at a property in Vilanova i la Geltrú in the early hours of December 31,” the spokesperson said. “We are awaiting full autopsy results and examining the circumstances to determine whether a crime has occurred.”
The case follows renewed scrutiny of extreme livestream content after the death of French streamer Raphaël Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove.
Jean Pormanove He died last year following a viral broadcast described as “ten days and nights of torture,” involving fellow creators Owen Cenazendotti and Safine Hamadi.
That investigation examined allegations of physical abuse, forced ingestion of substances, and extreme sleep deprivation. No charges were filed, and an autopsy concluded that Graven’s death was not directly caused by another person’s actions. Both creators have maintained the content was consensual and staged, with Graven’s mother also publicly defending them.
Spanish authorities say the investigation into Sergio Jimenez’s death is ongoing.
