Many people are paying tribute to an 11-year-old boy who died after following a dangerous new trend called chroming.
After the death of Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington, her family is asking parents to teach their kids about the terrible effects of the social media craze.
Tina Burns, the boy’s sad grandma, says he died “instantly” after trying out the distressing trend.
She said: “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.”
When Burns talked about her grandson, she said that he had a “heart of gold” and was “a bright, energetic boy.”
She told the Lancashire Post: “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.”
Tommie-Lee’s sad mother also tells parents to think about how much time their kids spend on social media.
She wrote on Facebook: “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 is beyond me why anyone would even try this! It’s so dangerous!”
Burns says Tommie Lee’s family wants to “help save other children’s lives.” Parents have already thanked her for making people aware of the problem.
No one could wake Tommie-Lee up at a friend’s house in Lancaster on March 2.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson states (per Lancashire Telegraph): “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.
“Our thoughts are with the boy’s loved ones at this incredibly sad time. If anyone has any information they are asked to contact police.”
During an inquest into Tommie-Lee’s death at Preston Coroners Court, it emerged that police were treating the boy’s death as unexplained, with whether he inhaled substances being one line of inquiry, reports the BBC.
The examiner stated that there were no strange conditions.
The BBC claimed in June that two people had been questioned after the death of the 11-year-old.
A guy from Lancaster, who is 25 years old, was questioned about charges of child abuse, neglect, drug possession with the plan to sell, and money laundering.
He was given bail and let go.
A 35-year-old woman from Lancaster was also questioned about charges of having drugs with the plan to sell them.
A spokesman for the Lancashire police said that she was freed while the case is still being looked into.
The boy’s family thinks that he died after going along with a dangerous TikTok trend called “chroming.”
The Royal Children’s Hospital says that chroming is the broad term for breathing flammable chemicals or liquids as a form of medicine.
A GoFundMe page for Tommie Lee’s funeral raised more than £4,800, which was more than its £3,000 goal.
The description of the fundraiser said that any extra money would be given to the 11-year-old’s school and the Co-Operative Funeral Directors for a headstone or memorial.
