Family Issues Warning After Tragic Loss to ‘Chroming’

The family of 13-year-old Esra Haynes is raising awareness about a dangerous trend known as ‘chroming’ following their daughter’s tragic death. Chroming involves inhaling harmful chemicals from aerosol deodorant cans, posing serious health risks.

Unexpected Tragedy at a Sleepover

Esra, a Year 8 student from Lilydale High School in Melbourne, suffered a cardiac arrest and irreversible brain damage after participating in chroming during a sleepover on March 31. Her parents, Andrea and Paul, were unaware of the impending danger.

“It was just the regular routine of going to hang out with her mates,” Andrea said. Paul added, “We always knew where she was and we knew who she was with. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.”

Emergency Response and Hospitalization

Upon receiving a distressing call, Esra’s parents arrived to find paramedics attempting to save their daughter’s life. Esra was rushed to the hospital unresponsive and placed on life support. After eight days, with her brain severely damaged, her parents made the heartbreaking decision to turn off the life support.

Previous Incidents and Ongoing Concerns

This incident is not an isolated case. In 2019, a 16-year-old boy in New South Wales died from aerosol inhalation, and in 2021, a girl in Queensland suffered brain damage from chroming. The trend has led some supermarkets to secure deodorant cans due to increased theft and misuse concerns. Schools and regional education departments are also educating children about the dangers of chroming.

Parents Call for Action

Paul and Andrea are advocating for changes to deodorant formulas to make them safer and for CPR training to be implemented in all schools. They also believe that social media platforms should be more closely monitored, as they suspect that’s where Esra learned about chroming.

“We need the manufacturers to step up and really change the formulation or the propellants,” Paul said.

Spreading Awareness About the Consequences of Chroming

More than anything, Esra’s parents want to share the consequences of chroming with other families and children. They believe that children often don’t consider the long-term effects of their actions, and that Esra would not have participated in chroming had she known the potential outcomes.

“Kids don’t look beyond the next day, they really don’t. And especially not knowing how it can affect them. Esra would never have done this if she would have known the consequences,” Paul said.

In conclusion, Paul emphasized the need for open discussions about the dangers of chroming. He said, “We need to talk about it. Her name meant helper so that’s what we’re here to do.”