The parents of a 14-year-old honor student who died from huffing compressed air from a computer cleaner speak to INSIDE EDITION about the shocking trend that took their daughter's life.
It's another commonly used household product that can be deadly if used the wrong way. INSIDE EDITION has the story of a teen whose dead today. All because she foolishly inhaled the air from an aerosol can used to clean her computer keyboard.
Caroline Doherty is talking about her 14-year-old daughter Aria, who was trying to get high by inhaling a can of computer keyboard duster.
“One stupid decision that destroyed her life and ours. It was just a stupid decision,” Caroline said.
Aria was found dead in the bedroom of her Los Angeles home, just moments after breathing in the deadly chemicals. Her mother tried desperately to save her.
Caroline said, “There was no breathing, there was no heartbeat but she was still warm, so I started CPR.”
But it was no use. Aria couldn't be revived.
Now, Aria's mom and dad, Richard and Carolyn Doherty, are trying to save other teenagers from the same fate by warning about the dangers.
Richard said, “She liked new experiences. I don't believe she had any idea it could be fatal or it could be toxic in the way that it is.”
Videos posted on YouTube show young people huffing computer cleaner. Many think it is only compressed air, but in fact it contains chemicals.
Huffing nitrous oxide, Freon, the chemical in air conditioners and other sources of cheap highs is well known.
But huffing keyboard cleaners is new and it's becoming increasingly popular. It's also very dangerous.
Dr. Travis Stork of TV's The Doctors said, "It enters your bloodstream so quickly. We don't know exactly why, but it causes your heart to go into a fatal arrhythmia, where it beats irregularly and you can die immediately from cardiac arrest."
Aria was a straight A student at an L.A. middle school. She played the Wicked Witch in a school production of the Wizard of Oz.
Caroline said, “When aria was in the room the room lit up. When she was on stage the stage lit up. She was so smiley, so kind, she loved everybody.”
Her parents talked to her about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, but they say the dangers of inhaling computer cleaner never crossed their minds.
Richard said, “We want to get the word out as quickly as we can how fatal and how tragic this can be.”
