Esra Haynes, described by the Montrose Football Netball Club she co-captained as \u201cdetermined, fun, cheeky, and talented,\u201d tragically lost her life after getting involved in a dangerous viral trend called chroming, which involves inhaling toxic chemicals to get high.<\/p>\n
An active and healthy teenager, Esra excelled in BMX racing alongside her brothers and led her team to a national aerobics championship in Queensland. But on March 31, during a routine sleepover at a friend\u2019s house, a single poor decision changed everything.<\/p>\n
Wanting to try the viral challenge, Esra inhaled a toxic amount of aerosol deodorant, which caused her to go into cardiac arrest and suffer irreversible brain damage. Her devastated parents shared their heartbreak on A Current Affair<\/em> with host Ally Langdon, warning other families about the deadly risks of inhaling toxic substances.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just a normal night hanging out with her friends,\u201d her mother Andrea explained. Her father, Paul, added, \u201cWe always knew where she was and who she was with. It wasn\u2019t unusual\u2026 but then we got that call no parent ever wants: \u2018Come and get your daughter.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n At first, Esra\u2019s friends didn\u2019t realize how serious the situation was, thinking she was having a panic attack. But in reality, her body was shutting down from inhaling the chemicals. Paramedics told Andrea, for the first time, that her daughter had been chroming.<\/p>\n Esra was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support, but just eight hours later, her parents were informed that her brain damage was irreversible. With nothing left to be done, Andrea and Paul gathered family to say their final goodbyes. \u201cIt was unbelievably difficult to let go of such a young soul. We held her until the end,\u201d Andrea said.<\/p>\n Esra\u2019s siblings, Imogen, Seth, and Charlie, have been devastated by her loss. Paul described the toll on their family and community: \u201cIt\u2019s been the most traumatic time imaginable. We haven\u2019t been sleeping, barely eating, and haven\u2019t smiled. It affects everyone, not just us.\u201d<\/p>\n In the wake of their daughter\u2019s death, Andrea and Paul are determined to raise awareness about chroming. Speaking to 7 News, Paul said, \u201cIf we\u2019d known about chroming, we would have warned her. Kids need to hear the dangers firsthand\u2014not from friends or social media\u2014so they can make safe choices.\u201d<\/p>\n