An 11-year-old boy from the UK tragically died after participating in a dangerous social media challenge known as “chroming.” His family and community are devastated, prompting urgent calls for greater awareness of the deadly trend.
Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington, a bright and energetic young boy, was at a friend’s house in Lancaster on March 2 when he attempted the chroming challenge. This risky behavior involves inhaling toxic chemicals from household products to achieve a brief high.
According to his heartbroken grandmother, Tina Burns, Tommie-Lee “went into cardiac arrest immediately and died right there and then.” Despite the hospital’s efforts to revive him, nothing could be done. “He was gone,” Burns lamented.
Chroming, also known as huffing, involves inhaling volatile substances like paint, solvent, aerosol cans, and other toxic chemicals. The practice can severely impact the central nervous system, leading to dizziness, hallucinations, and, in the worst cases, cardiac arrest, brain damage, and death.
Experts warn that the effects can be catastrophic, particularly in young people whose bodies and brains are still developing. Tommie-Lee’s tragic death has sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes, as well as a renewed focus on the dangers of such social media trends.
His family is now urgently calling for parents to educate their children about the severe risks associated with these online challenges.
Tommie-Lee’s mother, Sherri, expressed her anguish on Facebook, saying, “As much as I hate talking about it, I need to raise awareness of what kids are trying nowadays.”
“This cost my son his life from trying something other kids are doing. Please talk to your children about the consequences of this. It’s so dangerous!”
The family’s sorrow is compounded by the knowledge that Tommie-Lee’s death might have been preventable.
Burns and other family members have called on social media platforms to take more responsibility for the content being shared.
Some are even advocating for stricter age restrictions. “We don’t want any other children to follow TikTok or be on social media,” Burns said, emphasizing the need for immediate action to protect young users from similar dangers.
Lancashire Police confirmed they are treating the death as unexplained but have acknowledged the possibility that chroming was involved.
A spokesperson for the police stated, “Emergency services attended an address and found an 11-year-old boy unresponsive.”
“Sadly, he was later pronounced dead. The death is currently being treated as unexplained, and the coroner has been informed. A police investigation is ongoing, and the boy’s family are being supported by officers.”
The chroming trend, which has already claimed the lives of several teenagers worldwide, including in Australia, where a similar case led to the death of 8th grader Esra Haynes last year, has led to increased scrutiny of social media platforms.
These platforms play a role in the dissemination of dangerous content. TikTok, where many such challenges gain traction, has already faced criticism and has taken steps to block search results for terms like “chroming challenge.” However, the continued existence of such trends on the platform raises questions about the effectiveness of these measures.
As the investigation into Tommie-Lee’s death continues, his family is determined to prevent other tragedies by raising awareness and advocating for change. “This is breaking us all, but we want to help save other children’s lives and give families awareness to keep their children safe,” a family member said.
A GoFundMe page set up for Tommie-Lee’s funeral surpassed its target, with additional donations being allocated toward a memorial and to support his school. The devastating loss of Tommie-Lee serves as a grim reminder of the potential consequences of viral challenges and the urgent need for vigilance in protecting children from the dangers lurking online.
