WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT: Oliver Gorman, 12, has died after inhaling butane gas– a propellant commonly found in many aerosol deodorants – his mum has now pleaded with other parents “just don’t buy them”
A 12 year old lad from Tameside tragically lost his life after participating in a dangerous social media ‘craze’ known as Chroming, widely circulated on TikTok, an inquest has revealed.
Young Oliver Gorman was discovered unresponsive in his bedroom on the evening of 5 May this year, following a family holiday and returning to their home in Hyde.
Despite being rushed to hospital, the lad couldn’t be saved. Several empty deodorant cans were found in his room, and a post-mortem determined that he died due to inhaling butane gas– a propellant commonly found in many aerosol deodorants.
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A coroner has now voiced ‘major concern’ about the spread of these so-called challenges on TikTok, accusing the platform of ‘disseminating these challenges quite happily’, making them ‘easily accessible’ to impressionable youngsters.
The coroner is also advocating for improved warning labels and potential age restrictions on purchasing aerosol deodorants in light of the tragedy, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Oliver’s mum, Clare Gillespie, described her son as a ‘sweet’ and ‘lovely, family boy’. She acknowledged that he could be a ‘typical moody teenager’, but emphasised his passionate love for animals and a ‘really, calming aura about him’.
The inquest at South Manchester Coroner’s Court on 23 October heard how the family had been away on a family break in Wales and returned on a bank holiday Monday. Upon their return, Oliver ‘said he was tired’ and retired to his bedroom, the hearing was told.
When her son didn’t answer her calls, a distraught mum found him unresponsive in his room. As she tried to wake him, an empty Lynx deodorant can fell from his bed, the inquest was told.
Emergency services were called when he wasn’t breathing, and his mum started CPR. Paramedics arrived and continued extensive resuscitation attempts en route to hospital, but sadly, they were unsuccessful and Oliver was pronounced dead at 7:31pm.
Ms Gillespie shared with the inquest that she believed the transition from primary school to high school had been ‘too much’ for Oliver, who was in his first year at Denton Community Academy. She noticed he ‘kind of went into himself a bit’ and that ‘you could see something wasn’t quite right.’
The inquest heard that his mum had ‘some concern’ that he was being bullied, after he confided in his older brother. However, there were ‘no specifics’, ‘no names’ and ‘nothing concrete’, according to the inquest.
The Friday before the family holiday, Ms Gillespie informed the school that Oliver wouldn’t be returning after the break, it was revealed.
Detective Inspector Ian Parker stated that officers had been unable to access any of Oliver’s electronic devices except an Oculus headset, where nothing more than ‘banter’ was discovered.
The officer said of the alleged bullying: “My impression was it was words, very harsh words based on physicality, how he looked, that kind of thing.” However, he said they ‘never got to the bottom of it. ‘.
Denton Community Academy Principal, Donald Cumming, said that ‘if there had been names we would have been able to act immediately’ but that without them the school were in a ‘really difficult position. ‘.
He said during enquiries with Oliver’s peers after the tragedy, there was reference to ‘name-calling’ which ‘seemed to be around computer games’ but that ‘none of them mentioned bullying’ and that there was ‘nothing to suggest anything untoward. ‘.
Mr Cumming said there were ‘lots and lots of challenges on TikTok which young people are exposed to’ and that it was a ‘constant battle to make them aware and keep them safe. ‘ “Waves of TikTok trends come and go” he added.
The hearing was told people had been known to ‘get a high from inhaling the contents’ of aerosols. A number of empty Lynx and Aldi own-brand aerosol deodorant bottles were found in Oliver’s room following the tragedy.
Detective Sergeant Kate Dawson, from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), said she was aware of people previously abusing deodorants, but never previously a child and that in her 23 years as a police officer ‘it is the first time I have been aware of someone dying from this. ‘ Speaking about ‘Chroming’, Det Insp Parker revealed: “I have been made aware it’s something on TikTok. I believe, for whatever reason, people demonstrate this practice and broadcast it on that format.”
The pathologist who conducted Oliver’s post-mortem explained that Butane gas can trigger cardiac issues and that ‘these may be fatal. ‘.
The inquest discovered it wasn’t known if Oliver was a TikTok user himself, or where he had picked up on the ‘craze. ‘ It was also unclear if it was his first attempt. Ms Gillespie suggested her son might have ‘felt low’, she said: “I have no idea if he did that to escape. I have no idea, and that hurts me”.
However, she went on to say: “I don’t believe he did it to take his life. I don’t think he had the guts to do that. I think it was something that had gone terribly wrong. ‘I can’t solely blame a bully, I can’t solely blame TikTok” she added.
Ms Gillespie pointed out that youngsters could ‘start by watching TikTok videos about local bands and such like’ but that it could then ‘lead you down a dark road and causes these children to watch these videos. ‘.
“I wouldn’t want any other parent to go through what we have been through.” she stated. “Every teenage boy gets a Lynx set in his stocking at Christmas, that’s what frightens me.”
Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman recorded a conclusion of misadventure. He said Oliver ‘must have been feeling a bit low’ but that there was ‘no evidence’ to ‘suggest he deliberately inhaled the aerosol with the intention of ending his own life.’
“It strikes me that…this ‘Chroming’ comes from TikTok challenges” he said. He said ‘when or how Oliver became aware of this recreational enjoyment, I don’t know. ‘.
However, the coroner said it was ‘quite frightening what’s put out there on social media which affects the young minds of people such as Oliver. ‘
Mr Bridgman said he was going to write a number of Prevention of Future Deaths reports. He said he believed the warning labels on the deodorant bottles were ‘inadequate. ‘.
They state that ‘Solvent abuse can kill instantly’ but Mr Bridgman said they were ‘small’ and ‘lost in all the other information on the bottle’, pointing out that butane was a propellant, not a solvent.
He said he would be writing to the British Aerosol Manufacturing Association with his concerns. He said they had been previously been written to after the death of a young girl and had ‘said they would consider, but don’t appear to have yet amended’ the warnings.
Mr Bridgman said you had to be aged 18 to purchase solvents, and aged 16 to purchase aerosol spray paints. And he said he would now write to the Business Secretary as he could ‘see no reason why you should be able to purchase potentially lethal aerosol sprays younger than 16 years old. ‘ The coroner expressed his intention to contact the Culture Secretary, voicing ‘major concern’ over TikTok.
He stated: “TikTok is a Chinese company that disseminates these challenges quite happily, without any regard to the well-being of those who subscribe to it. It concerns me that these life-threatening challenges that go out on TikTok are easily accessible.”
In the wake of his tragic death, Oliver’s family and friends launched a campaign named Oliver’s Awareness, primarily aimed at raising awareness about bullying and cyberbullying. Oliver’s mum, Ms Gillespie, expressed her hope to raise awareness of social media trends and the dangers of aerosols.
Speaking to the press after the hearing, Ms Gillespie said: “He had just 20 minutes in his bedroom and he was gone. I didn’t know it could kill you, especially that quickly.” She implored parents: “Just don’t buy them.”
