A 'sweet' schoolboy died after participating in 'craze' he'd seen on TikTok, an inquest has heard. Oliver Gorman's mum found her son unresponsive in his bedroom on the evening on May 5 this year, after he failed to respond to her calls.
Yesterday, Thursday October 23, an inquest at South Manchester Coroner's Court heard how the family had been away on a break in Wales and returned on a bank holiday Monday. Arriving back at their Hyde home, Oliver 'said he was tired' and went to his bedroom, the hearing was told.
After failing to answer calls from his mum, Clare Gillespie, she went upstairs and into his room and found him unresponsive. The inquest heard that as she tried to rouse him, an empty bottle of Lynx deodorant fell from his bed.
The 12-year-old wasn't breathing and his mum began CPR as an ambulance was called. Paramedics arrived, and extensive resuscitation attempts continued on route to hospital, however they were unsuccessful and Oliver was declared dead 7:31pm.
He was taken to hospital but could not be saved. A number of empty deodorant bottles were later found in his room, and a post-mortem found he died as a result of the inhalation of butane gas- a propellant found in many aerosol deodorants.
Ms Gillespie told the inquest she believed the transition from primary school to high school was 'too much' for Oliver, who was in his first year at Denton Community Academy. She said he 'kind of went into himself a bit' and that 'you could see something wasn't quite right.'
The inquest heard there was 'some concern' from his mum that he was being bullied, after he had confided in his big brother. However, there were 'no specifics', 'no names' and 'nothing concrete'.
The hearing was also told the Friday before the family went away, Ms Gillespie had visited Oliver's school and informed them her son would not be returning to Denton Academy after the break.
Detective Inspector Ian Parker said officers had been unable to gain access to Oliver's electronic devices other than an Oculus headset, where nothing other than 'banter' was found.
The officer said of the alleged bullying: "My impression was it was words, very harsh words based on physicality, how he looked, that kind of thing." However, he said they 'never got to the bottom of it.'
Denton Community Academy Principal, Donald Cumming, said that 'if there had been names we would have been able to act immediately' but that without them the school were in a 'really difficult position.'
He said during enquiries with Oliver's peers after the tragedy, there was reference to 'name-calling' which 'seemed to be around computer games' but that 'none of them mentioned bullying' and that there was 'nothing to suggest anything untoward.'
Mr Cumming said there were 'lots and lots of challenges on TikTok which young people are exposed to' and that it was a 'constant battle to make them aware and keep them safe.' "Waves of TikTok trends come and go" he added.
A number of empty Lynx and Aldi own-brand aerosol deodorant bottles were found in Oliver's room following the tragedy.
Detective Sergeant Kate Dawson, from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), said she was aware of people previously abusing deodorants, but never previously a child and that in her 23 years as a police officer 'it is the first time I have been aware of someone dying from this.'
Speaking about 'Chroming', Det Insp Parker said: "I have been made aware it's something on TikTok. I believe, for whatever reason, people demonstrate this practice and broadcast it on that format." The hearing was told it can also be referred to as 'Huffing.'
The pathologist who carried out Oliver's post-mortem said Butane gas can cause cardiac issues and that 'these may be fatal.'
The inquest heard it wasn't known if Oliver was on TikTok himself, or where he had become aware of the 'craze.' It was also not known if it was the first time he had attempted it.
Ms Gillespie said her son may have 'felt low.'' "I have no idea if he did that to escape. I have no idea, and that hurts me. I don't believe he did it to take his life. I don't think he had the balls to do that. I think it was something that had gone terribly wrong."
She continued: "I can't solely blame a bully, I can't solely blame TikTok"
Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman recorded a conclusion of misadventure. He said Oliver 'must have been feeling a bit low' but that there was 'no evidence' to 'suggest he deliberately inhaled the aerosol with the intention of ending his own life.'
He said: "It strikes me that...this 'Chroming' comes from TikTok challenges." He said it was unclear 'when or how Oliver became aware of this recreational enjoyment.'
However, the coroner said it was 'quite frightening what's put out there on social media which affects the young minds of people such as Oliver.' Mr Bridgman said he was going to write a number of Prevention of Future Deaths reports.
He said he believed the warning labels on the deodorant bottles were 'inadequate.' They state that 'Solvent abuse can kill instantly' but Mr Bridgman said they were 'small' and 'lost in all the other information on the bottle', pointing out that butane was a propellant, not a solvent.
He said he would be writing to the British Aerosol Manufacturing Association with his concerns. He said they had been previously been written to after the death of a young girl and had 'said they would consider, but don't appear to have yet amended' the warnings.
Mr Bridgman said you had to be aged 18 to purchase solvents, and aged 16 to purchase aerosol spray paints. And he said he would now write to the Business Secretary as he could 'see no reason why you should be able to purchase potentially lethal aerosol sprays younger than 16 years old.'
The coroner also said he will contact the Culture Secretary with a 'major concern' over TikTok. He said: "TikTok is a Chinese company that disseminates these challenges quite happily, without any regard to the well-being of those who subscribe to it. It concerns me that these life-threatening challenges that go out on TikTok are easily accessible."
Following his death, a campaign was launched by his family and their friends called Oliver's Awareness, firstly raising awareness about bullying and cyberbullying. Oliver's mum Ms Gillespie said she now hoped to raise awareness of social media crazes and the dangers of aerosols.
Speaking to the media following the hearing, Ms Gillespie said: "He had just 20 minutes in his bedroom and he was gone.
"I didn't know it could kill you, especially that quickly." She urged parents: "Just don't buy them."