Spray-on deodorant may have caused girl’s death

AN 11-year-old girl may have been killed by her deodorant, an inquest heard.

A coroner recorded an open conclusion after the death of Georgia Newnham, who was found in bed with a can of spray-on deodorant in her hand.

She was found dead just before 8am on May 15 last year at her home in Peacehaven, East Sussex.

Her medical cause of death was given as cardiac arrest and solvent inhalation at a hearing on August 28 at Muriel Matters House in Hastings. The ruling was made last week after a hearing in November was adjourned.

Georgia had been using aerosol deodorant for around two years because she did not like using a roll-on, the hearing was told in November. She would often sweat in the night and was self-conscious about body odour.

The day before her death, she had been shopping with Casandra Copping, her foster mother, who bought her a Sure deodorant because her usual Nivea brand had sold out.

She normally kept the aerosol in a wash bag in her bedroom and would put it on once a day before she went to school, Mrs Copping told the inquest.

She added: “She never, ever put her deodorant on under her duvet.” She said Georgia was “100 per cent not abusing solvents”.

Jane Mccaughan, the head of Year 7 at Peacehaven Community School that Georgia attended, said that while some students at the school may have difficulties with substance misuse, solvents or “glue sniffing” were not the item of choice, and she said there was never any suggestion Georgia had tried this.

Joanne Lewendon, Georgia’s biological mother, said yesterday: “We just cannot believe this has happened. I still cannot believe it.”