Preston boy, 11, tragically died after inhaling aerosol gas during sleepover at friend's house, inquest told
A Preston-born 11-year-old boy tragically died after inhaling gas from an aerosol during a sleepover at a friend's house, an inquest was told.
Tommie-Lee Gracie-Billington was found collapsed at his friend's house in Lancaster in March 2024 before being taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary, where he sadly died despite desperate attempts to revive him.
Area coroner Emma Mather is conducting an inquest at Preston Coroner's Court. The inquest heard that a CT post mortem examination found evidence of congestion in Tommie-Lee's lungs. Butane gas can cause both lung congestion and heart problems and can be fatal.
Tommie-Lee was staying with his friend, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, when he was found unresponsive on a bunk bed. The previous night and on the morning he was found, he and his friend had been inhaling gasses from deodorants.
The detective in charge of the investigation said he could find no evidence that the practice - known as chroming - was directly influenced by the internet. The boys had been introduced to it by an acquaintance.
There was no evidence of any injury or criminality surrounding Tommie-Lee's death. Tommie-Lee's family, who were present in court, said they were devastated by the death of their "beautiful boy".
The mother of the boy with whom Tommie-Lee was staying said she was aware that there had been another incident in September 2023 when her son was found with an aerosol. This was reported to his school and the police and she presumed that was the end of the matter. She said she told Tommie-Lee's parents about it at the time - a claim the parents denied in court.
The mother said that, on March 1, Tommie-Lee slept over at her home and, in the morning, she went out on an errand, leaving her partner at home. About an hour later, she returned and went upstairs and found the boys in her son's room.
Her son was playing on his computer and he said Tommie-Lee was "tired". When she checked on Tommie-Lee in the bunk bed she saw his lips were blue and screamed and raised the alarm. She said that when she got back to the house there was a strong smell of deodorant in the air.
The other boy's father told the inquest that he was downstairs in the lounge when his partner went out. The two boys were upstairs in the bedroom. He said he did not go to check on them as he felt they were fine. Tommie-Lee's family members told the inquest he "should have taken responsibility" for the two youngsters.
Det Chief Insp Dylan Hrynkow said there was no evidence of any criminality in Tommie-Lee's death. Friends told police they got video calls from the two boys, saying they were "doing aerosols."
Det Chief Insp Hrynkow said the boy with whom Tommie-Lee was staying told him they were both doing aerosols on the Friday night. On the Saturday morning, Tommie-Lee said he was doing it again, and then went to sleep.
The detective said there was no evidence to suggest it was a "prank" inspired by the internet. The original idea seemed to come from a boy at a skatepark. He said there were concerns that the supervision of the two boys was inadequate, but the Crown Prosecution Service said there was not enough evidence to proceed.
Recording a misadventure verdict on Tommie-Lee, Ms Mather said he was a "beautiful boy" with a winning smile. She said Tommie-Lee, of Hill Road, Lancaster, had been using aerosols on the Friday night and, when he repeated it on Saturday morning, he would have slipped into unconsciousness.
"He didn't realise how dangerous his actions were," said the coroner.