The 11-year-old boy who died last week after riding on top of a subway train has been identified, while his uncle revealed that he also got hooked on the dangerous stunt.
Cayden Thompson, who snuck out of school to go subway surfing, was the fourth and youngest person to lose their life this year attempting to ride atop a train.
Clinging onto the roof of the G train, Cayden hit his head on a metal overhang near the 4th Avenue 9th-Street station in Brooklyn at around 10:15am on September 15.
Caydens uncle, 15-year-old Christian Vega, spoke to CBS New York a day before his nephews funeral in Manhattans Lower East Side.
Christian, who always considered Cayden to be more of a brother than a nephew, revealed hes subway surfed as well and fears he may have influenced Cayden to do it too.
Christian Vega, left, considered Cayden Thompson, right, more of a brother than a nephew
He said hes made videos of himself doing it and thinks Cayden watched similar content online.
Same way he got hooked on it, I got hooked on it. Id seen videos online, decided to do it, Christian told CBS New York. Its really easy to get hooked onto that stuff because once you do it, nothing evers gonna top it off, like that adrenaline rush you get.
I cant really put it into words. He was literally always looking up to me, Christian added.
He also mentioned that Cayden was into Roblox games, one of which allows the player to subway surf.
In response, Roblox released a statement that in part said the subway surfing game on its website doesnt violate its policies against content or behavior that explicitly encourages real-world activities that may create an extreme risk of physical harm.
Christian pleaded with other kids thinking about riding trains to not risk their lives.
Shortly after Cayden fell off the train, cops were seen picking up a backpack off the train tracks
Im never going into tunnels, never train surfing, never doing that stuff again, Christian said. Other kids who are thinking of going into subway surfing and other kids who still do, just stop doing it. Its not worth your life.
Shortly after Cayden fell off the train, cops were seen picking a backpack off the train tracks and carrying a covered gurney on the platform.
Following his death, New York City Mayor Eric Adams took to X to pay his respects.
It is heartbreaking to hear another life cut short due to subway surfing. Sending my prayers to the family of this young New Yorker, he said.
Caydens paternal grandmother, Angela Thompson, was stunned that her grandsons school allowed him to leave on the day of his death.
How could he just walk out of the school? she told the New York Post outside the funeral. I dont understand that. How is a baby sneaking out of the school? You just let him go.
Police are seen picking up a backpack on the tracks shortly after Cayden fell from the roof of the G train in Park Slope Brooklyn
Officers were also seen carrying a covered gurney on the platform at the 4th Avenue 9th-Street station
Angela launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for Caydens funeral expenses.
In July, Anthony Bhagwandeen, 15, died after hopping on top of a subway train in Queens.
He was found with a severe head injury at the elevated tracks at Beach 90th St. Station in Rockaway, the Daily News reported.
The teens grandfather, Lennox DeCruz, told the outlet he doesnt believe his grandson was alone that fateful day.
Lets say he was [subway] surfing. He wouldnt have gone alone. If he had friends with him, they didnt stay. They didnt stick around after he fell, DeCruz said.
Just a month before Bhagwandeens death, an unidentified 13-year-old boy was killed while subway surfing in the Bronx.
In July, Anthony Bhagwandeen, 15, died after hopping on top of a Queens train. He was found with a severe head injury at the elevated tracks at Beach 90th St. Station in Rockaway
In January, Alam Reyes, 14, fell off a Coney Island bound F Train in Brooklyn and died at the scene. His half-brother said he ditched school that day and went subway surfing with a friend
He lost his life after riding on top of a northbound No. 6 train at the Middletown Road station in Pelham Bay, police said.
The deceased child suffered a head trauma, among other injuries.
In January, Alam Reyes, 14, fell off a Coney Island bound F Train in Brooklyn and died at the scene.
His heartbroken half-brother later revealed that the teenager followed multiple accounts that posted pictures and videos of subway surfing around the city.
Now that you go to his social media, you see who hes following, whos his friends, Diego Tinoco, told the Daily News.
You see the videos people post of subway surfing, you realize now its too late.
NYPD data shows that subway surfing incidents are up in the city this year. So far, there have been 173 cases in 2024, compared with 104 the year prior.