11-Year-Old Dies ‘Instantly’ After ‘Chroming’ TikTok Challenge

11-Year-Old Dies ‘Instantly’ After Suffering Cardiac Arrest During ‘Chroming’ TikTok Challenge

An 11-year-old boy from the United Kingdom, Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington, lost his life after participating in a dangerous social media challenge known as “chroming.”

The incident occurred at a friend’s house in Lancaster on Saturday, where Tommie-Lee suffered a suspected cardiac arrest and was subsequently declared dead at a nearby hospital, as reported by The Times of London.

“He died instantly after a sleepover at a friend’s house. The boys had tried the TikTok craze ‘chroming,’” Tina Burns, the boy’s grandmother, revealed. “Tommie-Lee went into cardiac arrest immediately and died right there and then. The hospital did everything to try and bring him back but nothing worked. He was gone.”

“He had a heart of gold just like his dad. Our family is utterly devastated,” she added.

“Chroming” is the act of inhaling fumes from household items such as aerosol cans, nail polish remover, paint solvents, and cleaning products to achieve a high. This practice is not only dangerous but has also resulted in multiple teen deaths worldwide due to its serious risks, including brain damage, suffocation, and cardiac arrests. These activities are often filmed and shared on social media platforms, contributing to their popularity among teenagers.

The family of Tommie-Lee believes that social media platforms, particularly TikTok, need to take more stringent measures to protect users, suggesting the app should be shut down to prevent further tragedies.

“Both our families are utterly devastated but we all want the same thing,” Burns stated, referring to the friend’s family as well. “We don’t want any other children to follow TikTok or be on social media.”

“In fact, we want to get TikTok taken down and no children to be allowed on any social media under 16 years of age. This is breaking us all but we want to help save other children’s lives and give families awareness to keep their children safe.”

TikTok, along with other social media platforms, has faced criticism for hosting content that promotes dangerous challenges among teens. In response, a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in January questioned the leaders of four major social media companies, including TikTok, about the safety measures on their platforms. This hearing aimed to support the enactment of the “Kids Online Safety Act,” requiring social media companies to actively combat dangerous and predatory behaviors on their platforms.