Australian broadcaster Ally Langdon struggled to hold back tears as she interviewed a couple who had to make the heartbreaking decision to end the life of their 13-year-old daughter.
Langdon, a mother herself, was visibly moved while discussing the tragic death of Esra Haynes, a young girl who fell victim to the dangerous chroming trend—a chemical inhalation craze popular on social media.
On "A Current Affair," Langdon spoke with Andrea and Paul Haynes about their daughter Esra's death due to chroming. Esra, an athlete who raced BMX bikes and co-captained her netball club, was described by teammates as "determined, fun, cheeky, and talented." She had also led her team to a national aerobics championship in Queensland.
On March 31, Esra attended a sleepover and, seeking a high, inhaled aerosol deodorant. This led to cardiac arrest and irreversible brain damage.
"It was just the regular routine of going to hang out with her mates," Andrea told Langdon. Paul added, "We always knew where she was and who she was with. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. To get that phone call was one of the calls no parent ever wants to receive, and we unfortunately got that call: ‘Come and get your daughter.’”
Esra's friends initially thought she was having a panic attack, but Langdon explained, “Her body was actually starting to shut down after inhaling deodorant. She was in cardiac arrest, and no one at the sleepover knew how to perform CPR.”
Andrea arrived as Esra was being revived and was informed by paramedics that her daughter had been chroming, a term she had never heard before.
Despite hopes for a full recovery, Esra’s brain injury was deemed “beyond repair.” After eight days on life support, Andrea and Paul had to make the agonizing decision to turn off the machines. They recounted the unbearable pain of letting their daughter go.
Friends and family were called to the hospital to say their final goodbyes. Paul said, “It was very difficult to do to such a young soul. She was put onto a bed so we could lay with her. We cuddled her until the end.”
Langdon, overwhelmed by the parents’ sorrow, broke down in tears. Paul shared that their other children, Imogen, Seth, and Charlie, were “shattered” and the entire family felt "broken."
“It’s been the most difficult, traumatic time any parent could go through,” Paul said. “We haven’t been sleeping, hardly eating, not smiling—we’re not ourselves. And it’s not just affected us; it’s the community as well.”
Having never heard of chroming until it killed their daughter, Andrea and Paul are now committed to raising awareness about this deadly trend. They aim to educate parents and prevent further tragedies.
“If we had known about chroming, we would have discussed the risks with Esra around our kitchen table,” Paul said. “We need to get this information out so kids hear it first-hand, not through friends or social media.”
Paul urges parents to talk to their children about the dangers of chroming, a trend that has claimed numerous young lives in Australia and worldwide since 2009. Chroming, which involves inhaling substances like deodorant, paint, hairspray, or markers, can cause severe health issues, including organ failure, seizures, heart attacks, and sudden death.
“We’ll never forget what we faced,” Paul told Langdon. “Our gut was ripped out.”
The Haynes family’s story highlights the unimaginable pain of deciding to remove a child from life support. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and all who loved Esra.
By sharing this story, you can help raise awareness and potentially save other children’s lives.
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