The heartbroken parents of a teenage girl who died after taking part in a chroming trend have issued a warning to others.
Esra Haynes, 13, was at a sleepover in Melbourne, Australia, in March 2023 when tragedy unfolded.
The teen’s parents, Andrea and Paul, told A Current Affair: “It was just the regular routine of going to hang out with her mates.
“We always knew where she was and we knew who she was with. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.”
On the night of the sleepover, Esra’s parents received a devastating phone call urging them to pick up their daughter.
The teenager was rushed to the hospital in an unresponsive state and placed on life support. For a week and a half, she fought for her life.
At first, Esra’s parents remained hopeful for her recovery. But their optimism was shattered when doctors delivered the heartbreaking news that ‘her brain was damaged beyond repair.’
Faced with an unbearable decision, the family chose to turn off the 13-year-old’s life support.
In an emotional interview with Ally Langdon on A Current Affair, Esra’s father, Paul, recalled the painful moment: “They were asking us to bring family and friends to say goodbye to our 13-year-old daughter. It was an incredibly difficult thing to do to such a young soul.”
Esra’s parents and siblings stayed by her side, holding her close until the very end.
Esra’s family is now determined to raise awareness about the dangers of chroming.
“This will unquestionably be our crusade,” her father, Paul, told the Herald Sun. “No matter how much you lead a horse to water, anyone can drag them away. This isn’t something she would have done on her own.”
Her sister, Imogen, echoed the family’s mission in an interview with 7News: “We are committed to raising awareness for kids and anyone who engages in this. We don’t want this to happen to anyone else. No family should have to go through this—it’s absolutely horrible.”
Esra’s brother, Seth, added: “I just want to spread awareness that this can happen incredibly fast, and we don’t want to lose any more amazing people.”
Haynes’ cause of death has been confirmed to be from chroming – a trend that involves inhaling toxic chemicals.
Chroming, also called solvent abuse, is when a person gets high from breathing in or inhaling a chemical like glue or solvent, as per Care In Mind.
Although people of all ages engage in the trend, it’s most common among young adults and teenagers.
The immediate effects of chroming include tiredness or drowsiness, vomiting, dizziness, confusion or giddiness, feeling more relaxed or on edge, losing coordination, loss of inhibition, ringing in your ears, slurred speech, coughing or sneezing, eyes that are glazed, red or watery, and a running or bleeding nose.
