TikTok is facing more backlash after an 11-year-old boy from the United Kingdom died Mar. 2 after attempting a challenge posted on the social media platform.
Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington went into cardiac arrest at a friend’s house around noon after taking part in the challenge known as “chroming.”
“He died instantly after a sleepover at a friend’s house. The boys had tried the TikTok craze ‘chroming.’ Tommie-Lee went into cardiac arrest immediately and died right there and then. The hospital did everything to try and bring him back, but nothing worked. He was gone.”
“He had a heart of gold just like his dad,” Burns continued. “Our family is utterly devastated.”
Chroming is the process of inhaling fumes from popular household items, such as nail polish remover, cleaning products, paint solvents and aerosol cans to get high, as others film it to post on social media.
Doing so can result in serious injuries, including serious brain damage, suffocation and cardiac arrest, according to the New York Post. It can only take one huff to cause damage.
Burns reported that her family would like the social media platform to be banned so that other children will be safe.
“In fact, we want to get TikTok taken down and no children to be allowed on any social media under 16 years of age,” Burns said. “This is breaking us all but we want to help save other children’s lives and give families awareness to keep their children safe.”
#TikTok challenge known as “chroming” kills 11 year old boy.
This “involves inhaling the fumes from cleaning products or toxic substances to get high,..”
Another day, another TikTok induced death courtesy of Communist #China.
Ban TikTok. https://t.co/jewEel4dr6
— Chuck Flint (@ChuckAFlint) March 9, 2024
Billington’s tragic death is one of many around the world and is not a new phenomenon. Last March, a 13-year-old girl from Australia also died after attending a sleepover, chroming, resulting in cardiac arrest and brain damage.
Another Australian youth died last year due to chroming. Esra Haynes, 13, died after inhaling fumes from a deodorant can.
Forbes reported that 684,000 adolescents between 12 and 17 years old inhaled toxic chemicals in 2015.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), ages 10 and 16 years old are more likely to abuse solvents and aerosols.
WHSV3 reported that police are conducting an investigation into Billington’s death and are treating it as an unexplained death.
