URGENT UPDATE: A father’s tragic warning about the deadly epidemic of ‘sextortion’ is sending shockwaves through communities as he reveals the circumstances surrounding his son’s heartbreaking suicide. Bryce Tate, a 15-year-old from West Virginia, took his own life on November 6, 2023, after falling victim to a manipulative online scam.
In a devastating sequence of events, Bryce received a text from an unknown number at approximately 4:30 p.m. on that fateful day. Just three hours later, he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, leaving his family shattered. His father, Adam Tate, claims this is not just suicide but an act of murder committed by ruthless scammers. “They’re godless demons, in my opinion. Just cowards, awful individuals, worse than criminals,” he told the New York Post.
The Tates learned that Bryce was ensnared in a sextortion scheme targeting teenage boys. A spokesperson from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported over 33,000 instances of child sextortion in 2024 alone. Scammers impersonate flirtatious teenagers, gathering information from public social media profiles to build trust.
“They acted like a local 17-year-old girl. They knew which gym he worked out at and name-dropped his friends,” Adam explained. “They built his trust to where he believed this was truly somebody in this area.” The photos sent to Bryce were likely real and not AI-generated, adding to the deception.
After receiving explicit photos, the scammers demanded $500. “My son had 30 freaking dollars, and he’s like, ‘Sir, I’ll give you my last $30.’ And these cowards wouldn’t take it,” a distraught Adam recalled. When Bryce could not pay, the extortionists escalated their threats, even urging him to end his life, stating, “because your life is already over.” In his final moments, Bryce received over 120 frantic texts, a tactic designed to keep victims engaged and anxious.
“The FBI has seen a huge increase in the number of sextortion cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online,” said FBI public affairs specialist Bradford Arick.
This tragic incident follows a series of similar cases, highlighting a growing crisis among youth. In 2022, several teenagers, including Walker Montgomery, 16, from Mississippi, and Waylon Scheffer, 16, from Montana, took their lives after falling victim to similar scams. Legal actions have been taken against some perpetrators, yet many remain at large.
As the investigation into Bryce’s death continues, Adam Tate is taking action by lobbying West Virginia lawmakers to pass an amendment known as Bryce’s Law, which aims to impose stricter penalties for online crimes leading to self-harm or suicide. “Having that safe space and a close family is not enough. They have to be aware of what the threat is,” Adam urged, emphasizing the need for parents to engage in open conversations with their children about online dangers.
This urgent warning from a grieving father is a call to action for parents everywhere. The sextortion epidemic is real and growing, and awareness is the first step in prevention. Stay informed, stay alert, and ensure your children know the risks they face online.
