An 11-year-old girl died after inhaling deodorant “for a viral internet challenge”.
Brenda Sophia Melo de Santana passed out after drawing in spray from the aerosol can.
The horror unfolded while her dad was at a friend’s house and her mum was at a family member’s house.
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Her grandmother was in but did not realise what had happened.
When her dad, José Ailton, arrived home, he found Brenda unconscious on the bed with a white substance in her mouth.
He told local media: “I tried to lift her, checked her wrists, and saw that her pulse wasn’t beating.
“I ran to call her mother and the neighbours for help.”
A neighbour helped Brenda’s mum, Letícia, take her to a local hospital while José remained at home with the couple’s other three kids.
When other family members arrived to look after the youngsters, he went straight to the hospital.
But when he arrived, doctors could only confirm Brenda’s death in Bom Jardim, west-north-west of Recife, Brazil.
The medics say she suffered a cardiac arrest en route to the facility.
They spent 40 minutes trying to revive her, but in the end, there was nothing they could do to save her life.
The case is being investigated preliminarily as an accidental death, as reported by Need To Know.
José, Letícia, and Brenda’s grandmother have been interviewed by the police.
José told local media: “My mother has trouble hearing and speaking.
“She went into the room and called her. She didn’t respond. Then she said, ‘I won’t disturb her, she’s sleeping.’”
The family believes Brenda may have been inspired by a viral internet challenge.
In August last year, a 12-year-old boy from Doncaster, suffered a cardiac arrest after taking part in a similar challenge.
And in 2018 and 2022, a seven-year-old girl from São Bernardo do Campo, and a 10-year-old boy from Belo Horizonte, both Brazil, lost their lives in near-identical circumstances.
In one version of the so-called “deodorant challenge”, participants are encouraged to inhale the substance for as long as possible.
Another, also known as “chroming”, refers to the act of inhaling dangerous chemical fumes or vapours to create a temporary high.
Letícia had seen Brenda inhaling deodorant twice before.
Yesterday (12 Mar), the Municipality of Bom Jardim’s Communications Office expressed its “deep sorrow” over the tragedy.
It said: “According to the police report, the child’s mother stated that Brenda Sophia had a habit of inhaling deodorant and had been warned several times by her parents.
“As of now, there is no information on how the child accessed the product.”
Brenda was laid to rest in Bom Jardim on Monday (10 Mar).
Experts warn that deodorant spray can quickly penetrate the bronchi, compromising oxygenation.
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