"Momo" character reemerges; local deputies issue warning to parents

Deputies with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office are warning parents about the reemergence of the "Momo" character.

Action News Jax reported in August last year when law enforcement said the so-called game Momo was gaining popularity on WhatsApp and targeting children and teenagers.

According to officials, Momo encourages youth to engage in life-threatening situations such as "holding a knife to their throat" or "sticking metal objects in light sockets."

The Momo character threatens to harm the child and their family if they don't participate in the activities.

Deputies said Thursday morning -- the game has evolved and has been put in popular videos, online video games and popular chat apps.

Authorities are asking parents to discuss the Momo issue with their children and to keep a close eye on what they are watching online.

Overnight, some of our youth in St. Johns County saw a re-emergence of the application called “Momo” and it has evolved. pic.twitter.com/LypnWymLJW
— SJSO (@SJSOPIO) February 28, 2019

Many students in our county have been talking about seeing it and have reported it to our Youth Resource Deputies in their schools. This is something we have to take seriously. We protect our county by keeping them informed of the happenings. https://t.co/zjoJuR1zFn
— SJSO (@SJSOPIO) February 28, 2019