Ally Langdon, a well-known journalist and mother from Australia, recently sat down for an emotional interview with Andrea and Paul Haynes, a couple who were forced to make an unthinkable decision—turning off the life support machine keeping their 13-year-old daughter alive. As a mother herself, Langdon struggled to hold back her tears while listening to the Haynes family recount their devastating loss. Their daughter, Esra Haynes, tragically lost her life after falling victim to a dangerous social media trend known as “chroming.” This deadly practice involves inhaling toxic chemicals through the nose or mouth in an effort to achieve a quick high. The Haynes family is now sharing their heartbreaking story in hopes of preventing other parents and children from enduring a similar tragedy.
Esra Haynes was a bright and athletic teenager, described by her local sports club as determined, fun-loving, and talented. She co-captained her team at the Montrose Football Netball Club, raced BMX bikes with her brothers, and led her aerobics team to a national championship in Queensland. On March 31, Esra went to a friend’s house for a sleepover—something completely ordinary in her family’s routine. Her parents, Andrea and Paul, were aware of where she was and who she was with, trusting that she was safe and in good company. However, that night took a tragic turn. During the sleepover, Esra decided to inhale aerosol deodorant, partaking in the dangerous chroming trend that she may not have fully understood. Moments later, she went into cardiac arrest, sustaining irreversible brain damage.
In their interview with Langdon on A Current Affair, Andrea recalled how the evening seemed routine, right up until the moment they received the phone call no parent ever wants to get. “Come and get your daughter,” they were told. Paul remembers the shock and horror of hearing those words, describing the call as every parent’s worst nightmare. Esra’s friends initially thought she was having a panic attack, but her body was actually shutting down. Despite their best efforts, none of the kids at the sleepover recognized the seriousness of the situation, nor did they administer life-saving CPR while waiting for emergency services to arrive.
By the time Andrea got to her daughter, paramedics were already trying to revive Esra. That was the first time Andrea heard the term “chroming,” a concept completely foreign to her until that heartbreaking moment. Esra was transported to the hospital, and for eight agonizing days, Andrea and Paul held onto hope that their daughter might recover. Esra’s heart and lungs were still strong, but the damage to her brain was catastrophic. Eventually, doctors told the family that Esra’s condition was beyond repair. Faced with the most difficult decision of their lives, Andrea and Paul made the heartbreaking choice to turn off her life support. They spent her final moments cuddling her, lying next to her as she passed away.
The emotional toll on the Haynes family has been devastating. Paul described how they have barely slept or eaten since losing their daughter, and how their once-happy home now feels broken. Esra’s siblings—Imogen, Seth, and Charlie—have also been deeply affected, struggling to cope with the loss of their sister. Paul and Andrea’s grief, however, has fueled a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of chroming. They are determined to educate other parents and young people about the life-threatening consequences of inhaling toxic substances, hoping their story can save lives.
Paul expressed regret that he and Andrea hadn’t known about chroming before it was too late. “If we were educated and the word had been put out there, we would have had the discussion around our kitchen table for sure,” he said. Now, they are calling on parents to have open conversations with their children about the risks of this and other harmful trends. “We need to ramp it up and let these kids find out the information first-hand, and not through friends, and not through social media—then they’re given the right advice off the bat,” Paul emphasized.
Chroming has been linked to several deaths across Australia and around the world since at least 2009. This dangerous practice, often involving common household items like deodorant, paint, hairspray, or permanent markers, can cause seizures, heart attacks, suffocation, coma, organ failure, and sudden sniffing death syndrome. The allure of a short-lived high masks the potentially fatal consequences, and young people often have no idea of the risks they’re taking.
Paul and Andrea now dedicate their time to educating other families, in the hope that no other parent has to go through what they did. “Parents need to sit and have a chat to their children, and just open that conversation up gently with them. We certainly didn’t know what was going on,” Paul shared. The Haynes family’s pain is unimaginable, but their courage in speaking out is inspiring. Paul says they are haunted by the memory of what they witnessed, images he says will never leave them. “Our gut was ripped out,” he told Langdon.
The loss of Esra Haynes has shaken an entire community. But by sharing her story, her family hopes to save lives. Our hearts go out to the Haynes family and everyone who loved Esra. We urge you to share their story and help spread awareness about the deadly consequences of chroming. Together, we can educate and protect our children from falling victim to these dangerous trends.
