BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — A 17-year-old has been charged in the death of Freedom High School student David Nagy, who was killed in June while participating in a TikTok-inspired stunt, Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta announced Tuesday.
Authorities said the teen was driving through the Bethlehem Township school’s parking lot while Nagy, also 17, sat on an upside-down folding table tied to the vehicle. The driver whipped the table into a parked car, killing Nagy, who was among a group of five teenagers at the scene.
The driver faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Baratta said the case was one of two recent incidents in the township linked to social media challenges.
In a separate March 18 incident, a 19-year-old woman drove through the Park and Ride lot on William Penn Highway while a 20-year-old friend stood on the trunk. The passenger fell and suffered what prosecutors described as “catastrophic” head injuries that are likely permanent. That driver is charged with aggravated assault and aggravated assault by vehicle.
Baratta said prosecutors are not seeking prison time in either case, noting that both drivers knew their victims, had no prior criminal records and did not intend to cause harm. Instead, prosecutors will seek accountability through non-prison sentences, with the possibility of expungement if the defendants admit culpability.
“Ultimately they have to deal with this loss and what it means,” Baratta said at a news conference, referring to the parents of the teens. “They didn’t want this loss to be for naught.”
Baratta said discussions with the victims’ families guided the decision, stressing that the charges are intended as a deterrent against “dangerous” online trends.
“It’s only a matter of time until other youth are similarly injured,” he said.
He added that social media companies should feel “morally obligated” not to glorify such stunts.
Nagy, a Freedom High junior, hoped to study electrical engineering at Penn State, according to his obituary. His family described him as well-spoken, passionate about education advocacy and deeply devoted to music, technology and spending time with friends.
