On August 18th, viewers watching a live broadcast on the Kick platform were alarmed by the sudden lack of response from one of the participants, Jean ‘JP’ Pormanove. It was later discovered that Jean, 46, whose real name was Raphaël Graven, had passed away in his sleep on camera after enduring alleged mistreatment from fellow streamers over a two-week period.
During a 12-day live stream, Jean was reportedly subjected to various forms of abuse, including suffocation with a plastic bag and a nappy, sleep deprivation, and repeated head strikes. Spectators witnessed Jean in distress, screaming in pain as he was subjected to physical harm.
Videos from the live stream purportedly showed influencers vying to see how long they could choke Jean, shooting him with paintballs, and making him consume harmful substances. Additionally, Jean endured humiliation, such as being insulted, forced to clean up after others, and having parts of his hair shaved off.
Before his demise, Jean had expressed his distress to his mother and others, indicating his desire to escape the situation he was in. Despite pleas for help, the mistreatment continued until Jean was found unresponsive on August 18, leading to the termination of the stream and the discovery of his lifeless body at his residence in Contes, near Nice.
Following Jean’s death, statements from his streaming partners and their legal representatives claimed that the alleged abuse was staged. Autopsy results revealed that Jean’s demise was likely due to underlying medical conditions rather than physical trauma.
In the wake of this tragedy, French officials condemned the mistreatment of Jean and called for accountability from online platforms like Kick. Investigations were initiated to determine if Kick knowingly hosted illegal content showcasing attacks on individuals’ integrity.
Kick expressed condolences for Jean’s passing and stated their commitment to cooperating with authorities in the ongoing investigations. The Mirror sought further comments from Kick regarding the incident.
If you have encountered similar distressing live streams, please contact me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.