AN ELEVEN-year-old boy tragically died after inhaling a Ted Baker body spray aerosol at night, a coroner ruled.
Freddie Davis’ lifeless body was discovered in his bedroom by his heartbroken mum Roseanne last January.
A spray can fell out from the youngster’s dressing gown as his mum tried to wake him up for school.
And cops investigating Freddie’s death described a “smell emanating from the room” as they arrived at the family home.
A year prior to his death, Roseanne, 34, had seen videos of a concerning trend on TikTok known as “chroming”.
It sees people inhale common household substances, like nail varnish, paint and aerosol spray cans.
At an inquest into his death this week, Roseanne told how she had warned her son against taking part in the dangerous trend.
East London Coroners’ Court heard she noticed an entire can of Lynx spray she had bought for Freddie had gone in 24 hours.
However, after hearing about the trend, she started to buy the youngster roll-on deodorant instead.
A police report into his death said officers were aware of a trend “whereby children empty cans of deodorant into socks and use it to get a high.”
But Freddie had not searched for the trend online and he had not researched anything to do with aerosols or suicide.
His friends could shed no light on what had happened, the court heard.
In the days before his death, Freddie had been to stay at a friend’s house in Brentwood, Essex.
When he returned home on the Sunday night, January 19, he told his mum he was struggling to sleep.
After repeatedly asking for a phone charger, Roseanne offered to charge his phone and agreed to wake him at 6.30am for school.
In a written statement, the mum told how she discovered Freddie “face down” after he failed to respond to her the following morning.
It read: “I went into his room to wake him up. I opened the door and called out ‘Fred’ as I do most mornings.
“I could see he was lying on his front with his face down. I called Fred again. Usually by now he would have responded.
“I began to analyse his position and was thinking ‘why is he like that?’. I put my hand on his shoulder and noticed he was colder than usual.
“I called out for help and said ‘I think Fred has gone.’ I dialled 999 and said to the operator ‘I think my son is dead.”
PC Neil Price, of the Met Police, was one of the officers who attended the scene in Harold Hill, east London.
He told how the Ted Baker spray can fell out from Freddie’s dressing gown as he was rolled over.
PC Price said: “The scene was obviously emotional.
“There was a smell emanating from the room, but I couldn’t distinguish what it was at the time.”
Forensic toxicologist John Slaughter said propane, butane and isobutane were found in Freddie’s tissue samples, consistent with the can’s contents.
Spraying aerosol into the airways is highly toxic, potentially causing comas or dangerous heart arrhythmias.
Pathologist Dr Liina Palm gave the cause of death as inhalation of butane aerosol propellant.
The court heard that Freddie was an “outgoing boy who loved sport and learning”, enjoyed school, was popular and always “respected his elders.”
No-one knows where he got the can, but Roseanne believes her son was introduced to the dangerous trend by a friend.
Roseanne added: “Children are easily led and they do not realise the dangers.
“I wouldn’t even risk bringing aerosols anywhere near my family now, I won’t even have them in the house. These things do kill people.”
Police spoke to Freddie’s pals and school and there was nothing to indicate any trends relating to aerosol inhalation, the court heard.
The school held follow-up assemblies where they asked anyone with information to come forward – but nothing relevant was uncovered.
Freddie’s death was ruled to be an accident.
Coroner Nadia Persaud urged parents to be aware of the possibility of aerosol misuse among their children.
She said: “I do not know whether parents are aware of the danger of these aerosols but I think there needs to be more publicity.”
TikTok has been approached for comment.
