An 11-year-old boy accidentally killed himself while trying to get high by sniffing a Ted Baker body spray aerosol in his bedroom late at night.
Freddie Davis had the spray can concealed in his dressing gown when his cold body was found in bed the next morning by his mother who went to wake him for school.
The Year 7 pupil died as a result of inhaling butane aerosol propellant, an inquest into his death heard this week, which prompted the coroner to issue a warning to parents about the dangerous trend.
Freddie’s mother Roseanne Thompson later said that she had heard of children of her son’s age being inspired to try sniffing aerosols by videos on TikTok – and had even preventatively stopped buying him spray-on deodorants to protect him.
Releasing pictures of her son to the Daily Mail as a way to highlight the dangers to other parents Ms Thompson said: ‘Aerosols do kill.’
His parents and both sets of grandparents were present at the inquest at East London Coroners’ Court in Walthamstow, east London.
The court heard that Freddie was an ‘outgoing boy who loved sport and learning’, enjoyed school, was popular and respectful.
On the weekend of his death in January last year he had been to stay at a friend’s house in Brentwood, Essex, and was ‘stroppy’ when he was told he needed to be home in time for dinner on the Sunday.
Freddie Davis, pictured with his mother Roseanne Thompson, accidentally killed himself while trying to get high by sniffing a Ted Baker body spray aerosol in his bedroom
The Year 7 pupil Freddie died as a result of inhaling butane aerosol propellant. He had the spray can concealed in his dressing gown when his cold body was found in bed by his mother
Freddie’s death prompted the coroner at an inquest this week to issue a warning to parents about the dangerous TikTok trend called ‘Chroming’, which sees people inhale common household substances, like nail varnish, paint and spray cans
In a written statement, his mum said she had offered to help him arrange some lights in his bedroom that evening, on the proviso he tidied it first.
At around 9.20pm he came downstairs saying he couldn’t sleep.
After going back up, the rest of the family also went to bed, but Freddie came into his mum’s room twice asking for a phone charger.
She offered to keep his phone overnight to charge it and Freddie asked if she could wake him up by 6.30am the following morning because he had school – he had recently started at Drapers’ Academy in Harold Hill.
Ms Thompson said she finally went to sleep, heard nothing in the night and woke at around 6.20am the following morning, Monday, January 20, 2025.
‘I went into his room to wake him up,’ her statement read. ‘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.”‘
Freddie was turned over so CPR could be attempted, but Ms Thompson said: ‘I knew he had passed away.’
PC Neil Price, of the Met Police, attended the scene in Harold Hill, east London.
‘The scene was obviously emotional,’ PC Price said. ‘There was a smell emanating from the room, but I couldn’t distinguish what it was at the time.’
As Freddie was rolled over, the Ted Baker spray can fell out from his dressing gown.
London Ambulance Service confirmed that the child had died so no CPR was given.
A search of the house revealed nothing amiss.
No one knows where he got the can, but Ms Thompson believes that a friend must have introduced him to the dangerous trend.
Four vapes were also found in Freddie’s bedroom.
A report compiled by two senior police officers confirmed that a computer and phone taken from the scene contained nothing relevant.
It said: ‘There was no evidence of any discussion around the inhalation of solvents or discussion with others about the use of such things.’
It went on: ‘Mum was noticeably shocked by the deodorant.
‘They had started to buy Freddie Lynx and in 24 hours it would be empty.
‘There was a trend whereby children empty cans of deodorant into socks and use it to get a high.
‘He was told of the risks and they began buying him roll-on deodorant.’
Police spoke to Freddie’s friends and school and there was nothing to indicate bullying or any trends relating to aerosol inhalation.
Freddie was an outgoing boy who loved sport and enjoyed school, was popular and respectful
The school held follow-up assemblies where they asked anyone with information to come forward but no one could give any relevant information about the death, the court heard.
Ms Thompson, 34, said after the hearing that a year before Freddie’s death she had heard of a TikTok trend called ‘Chroming’ and had sat Freddie down to warn him never to take part.
Chroming videos are still available on TikTok. It sees people inhale common household substances, like nail varnish, paint and spray cans.
A police report into Freddie’s death said officers were aware of a trend in which children empty cans of deodorant into socks and use it to get a high.
But Freddie had not searched for the trend online, had not researched anything to do with aerosols or suicide and his friends could shed no light on what had happened, the court heard.
Ms Thompson said in a statement to the court that she had started to buy him Lynx spray but noticed once that an entire bottle had gone in 24 hours.
After this and hearing about the sniffing trend, Ms Thompson had started to buy Freddie roll-on deodorant instead.
Forensic toxicologist John Slaughter said propane, butane and isobutane were found in Freddie’s tissue samples, consistent with the contents of the can.
Spraying aerosol into the airways is highly toxic and can cause coma.
The sudden coldness can also stimulate the vagus nerve, causing dangerous heart arrhythmias, he added.
Pathologist Dr Liina Palm (CORR) gave the cause of death as inhalation of butane aerosol propellant.
At the conclusion of the inquest, coroner Nadia Persaud also said that parents need to be aware of the possibility of aerosol misuse in their children.
Area coroner Ms Persaud said: ‘I do not know whether parents are aware of the danger of these aerosols but I think there needs to be more publicity.’
And she said she would be writing to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to make them aware of the case.
Friends and family raised more than £1,700 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, with a GoFundMe describing Freddie as ‘full of life and laughter’.
Ms Thompson, who is separated from Freddie’s dad Ashlie Davis, 37, said afterwards ‘Aerosols do kill.
‘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.’
Freddie’s death follows dozens of others in the UK, both from intentional inhalation and accidentally breathing in too much spray.
Between 2001 and 2020, there were 716 deaths related to volatile substances registered in England and Wales, with an average of 36 deaths each year – and an overwhelming majority (77.9 per cent) among males.
Fuels were the most common volatile substances mentioned on the death certificate, involved in 59.5 per cent of deaths, with butane and propane – both commonly found in aerosols – specified in 447 deaths.
His mother Roseanne said in a written statement that she believed a friend had introduced him to the TikTok craze that other parents should be warned about. Roseanne said she had started to buy Freddie Lynx spray – but noticed once that an entire bottle had gone in 24 hours
At the conclusion of Freddie’s inquest, coroner Nadia Persaud also said that parents need to be aware of the possibility of aerosol misuse in their children
Ashley Martin, public health adviser at RoSPA, previously said: ‘It’s easy to assume they are completely safe and totally free from risk. The truth is they’re not.
‘Inhaling large quantities of aerosols, not just deodorants, can lead to a whole host of life-endangering scenarios – from blackouts and breathing difficulties, to heart rhythm changes and sadly, death.
‘There’s a common misconception that fatalities from aerosols only happen in a substance abuse scenario, but this is absolutely not true.
‘We have seen a number of fatalities over recent years where children and young adults have over-sprayed aerosols – from teenagers conscious of body odour, to children seeking reassurance from familiar smells.’
The coroner recorded Freddie’s death was accidental.
