Authorities released new details about the North Carolina TikTok influencer’s final moments after his unexpected death three months ago at the age of 16 years old.
Joshua Blackledge died in his parents' Newport, North Carolina, home on March 18 as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the forehead, according to a report of investigation obtained by NTD.
“The family reported that the decedent had recently experienced a breakup with his girlfriend, which had left him feeling sad and distraught,” the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner disclosed in its report of investigation. “The decedent sent an email to his ex-girlfriend in the early morning hours on March 18th, expressing self-harm.”
The West Carteret High School junior was a well-known social media influencer whose TikTok account, f30joshh, had 1.1 million followers. His last post on March 14 includes video of him driving a white truck with oversized tires with a rap song playing in the background.
West Carteret High School is located in Morehead City.
The report further stated that the day before he committed suicide, Blackledge had difficulties focusing, did not want to go to his classroom, and had gone to his high school counselor's office to talk. A family member had to retrieve him from school where the counselor was overheard asking if he had thoughts of self-harm, to which the decedent denied having any.
“The family noted that over the past year, the decedent exhibited behavioral changes, including vaping using THC, changing friend groups, declining academic performance, skipping school, and increased defiance,” the report stated. “They denied any suicidal ideation or previous suicide attempts. No drug paraphernalia was found at the scene.”
The death investigation was signed by Carteret and Craven County Medical Examiner Claudia Johnson on March 20 and said that Blackledge used a 22-caliber rifle to shoot himself.
“The family reported that they were awakened by a loud noise initially thinking the decedent may have broken a glass,” Johnson wrote in the death investigation. “The mother went to check on him and found him in the dining room. The decedent was found lying prone on the floor with a chair tangled in his legs, a teddy bear, a paper note, and a picture.”
Blackledge’s immediate surviving family members include his parents, Jonathan and Jackie Blackledge, and brother Josiah Blackledge. His maternal grandparents, Nancy and Felizardo Rebala, and paternal grandparents, D. Eddy and Margaret Ann Blackledge, had passed away before him.