Girl died in freak accident after ‘overusing deodorant’
A12-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl died in a freak accident after she was overcome by fumes from her deodorant as she sprayed it on herself inside her family’s seaside holiday caravan.
Paige Daughtry had been so keen on protecting her personal hygiene she used under-arm body spray as if ’it was going out of fashion,’ an inquest heard.
But it is feared she overused the deodorant so much, the fumes from her aerosol which contained ‘’volatile substances’ affected Paige as she inhaled them whilst listening to music after going swimming.
The youngster, from Shaw, was found lying face down on a bed by her mother in the master bedroom of a caravan they were renting at a holiday park in Fleetwood. She was rushed to hospital where she died two hours later despite attempts to revive her.
Police investigating the tragedy on July 18 last year found Paige’s can of Right Guard deodorant lying on grass outside the en-suite bathroom of the caravan close to where the schoolgirl was found.
Doctors said she had inhaled butane and isobutane from the tin - but said there was no evidence of ‘chronic use.’
An inquest heard Paige, a ‘’bright and talented’’ girl who attended Royton and Crompton School, had harboured ambitions of a career in music or art.
She was three days into her trip at the Cala Gran holiday park at the start of the school summer holidays with parents Ann and Stuart and older sister Catherine.
Mrs Daughtry, 36, told the Heywood hearing: ‘’She would spend hours in the bedroom and would spray and spray as she didn’t want to smell. She used to spray it in small rooms and I used to tell her off.
‘’I suppose that’s something every 12-year-old girl would do, spraying deodorant. But she was overusing deodorant - it was more than we would have expected any girl to put on.
“But there was never a point we started to think there was an issue - not in the way we would have thought she was doing any sniffing or anything like that. There were no indications whatsoever, I would have noticed.
‘’She was a strong character. My feeling is she was the way she was and there was no changing her no matter what we did. She marched to her own beat, that was Paige.’’
She added: ‘’Paige was looking forward to the holiday - we went every year. We did some swimming and went into Blackpool and came back. We were as a family together all day.
‘’Paige went into our bedroom and my husband went off to take some photographs on the beach.
‘’From Paige going in her room and me shouting to her it was about 10 or 15 minutes. That room was a bit cooler and the window was open.
‘’I think that’s why she decided to go in there and all the chargers were in there and she wanted to listen to music.
“I shouted, there was no response, I went in and sought assistance. I was screaming at the top of my lungs, trying to pull her off the bed and phone 999.’’
Two holidaymakers from neighbouring caravans came to assist with CPR before paramedics arrived and took Paige to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Forensic pathologist Dr Jonathan Metcalfe said the cause of Paige’s death was ‘’inhalation of volatile substances.’’
He added: “Analysis of brain samples revealed two substances present in aerosols - they are known as volatile substances. They are known to be present in Right Guard deodorant which was present at the scene. Their presence is consistent with inhalation. Death may result from the toxicological effects. The substances are butane and isobutane.
‘’There was no natural disease that has contributed to her death. There was no evidence of heavy use and no direct evidence that there was chronic use.”
A coroner’s officer said: ‘’It was established Paige had previously used deodorant - a direct quote from Mrs Daughtry herself being ‘like they were going out of fashion.’ An empty canister was found outside the caravan window.”
Recording a conclusion of death by misadventure coroner Alan Wilson said: “This is the unintentional consequences of a deliberate act. Paige was inhaling the fumes from the deodorant but what she didn’t intend is the consequences.
‘’It’s most likely that inhaling those fumes has most probably led to her heart rhythm being affected and led to her death.
“It may have been in recent times she got into the habit fumes.
“I do find she was probably inhaling deodorant fumes for what ever reason during that day. Mr and Mrs Daughtry can I pass on the condolences of everyone here. ‘’ of inhaling some