May 10, 2005
By Laura May, PA

A schoolgirl had a choking fit and died after she sprayed herself with fabric deodorant to cover up the smell of cigarettes, it emerged today.

Helen Coffey was secretly smoking in the bathroom of her family home in Rumney, Cardiff, an evening newspaper today reported.

Her family say that the 14-year-old tried to hide the smell of the smoke on her clothes by spraying them with Neutradol Deofab.

They claim the concentrated spray brought on a coughing fit after which Helen collapsed.

She died in hospital a week later, reportedly after suffering a haemorrhage in her throat.

Mother Agnes was too upset to speak to the Press Association today but following her daughter's death last month she told reporters that she had begged her daughter to kick the habit.

She said: "She had a rebellious streak, just like all teenagers. That's why she used to smoke. I begged her not to, but she carried on doing it in secret.

"Now of course I wish I'd let her puff away in front of me. At least she would still be alive."

Her 18-year-old brother Geoffrey said: "It was awful. I saw her curled up on the floor choking and foaming at the mouth."

A South Wales police spokesman confirmed that police were aware of the death of a 14-year-old girl in the Rumney area and said that in such a case the coroner would be informed.

Manufacturers of Neutradol Deofab, MS George today confirmed that the Cardiff coroner's office contacted the company to request information about the product on April 25.

But a spokeswoman said that this was as part of a wider investigation of a number of household products.

She said: "As an unexplained death the coroner's standard procedures require that all substances and products found in the victim's home and in the vicinity of the death are tested."

"Neutradol Deofab is manufactured in the UK and complies with the most rigorous UK/EU quality and safety standards. It has been sold in this country since 1999 and there have been no incidents involving the product. Like all our products it is clearly labelled as to usage and is entirely safe when used as directed."
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4531416

Girl dies trying to hide cigarette smell

May 10 2005
Western Mail
 
A SCHOOLGIRL died after she tried to hide the smell of cigarettes by spraying herself with a fabric deodorant, her family said last night.

Helen Coffey, 14, was secretly smoking in the bathroom of her family home, even though she knew her mother would disapprove.

Her family believe she used a can of Deofab - a fabric deodoriser - to spray her clothes and around the bathroom to cover up the smell.

They suspect Helen breathed in the aerosol spray filling the bathroom and collapsed in a choking fit. She died a week later in hospital.

Her mother Agnes, 46, said, "I think she sprayed it all over her clothes, the room and on her hands.

"We believe Helen accidentally inhaled it and that may be how she died."

Her family believe she choked and began bleeding in her throat.

Her mother said, "She had a rebellious streak, just like all teenagers. That''s why she used to smoke.

"I begged her not to but she carried on doing it in secret.

"Now of course I wish I''d let her puff away in front of me, because I think Helen would be alive today.

"She was such a wonderful, kind girl."

Her mum bought the Neutradol Deofab to freshen up the family home in Rumney, Cardiff.

It is described on the can as the world''s number one deodoriser - a full strength fabric deodoriser for use on almost any fabric around the home or in the car, which uses aerosol technology as opposed to a trigger spray. It is intended for removing tobacco, cooking, pet and musty odour problems around the home.

Agnes said, "It was the first time I bought a can like this. I thought I''d use it to freshen up the bedroom.

"I had no idea that Helen would use it to try and disguise the smell of smoke on her hands and clothes.

"I just want parents to be aware of the potential dangers of these things. I don''t want this to happen to another family.

"The whole family is broken-hearted. She was a special girl. The first to help out, to make a cup of tea.

"We shall miss her terribly."

Her mother had warned Helen, a typical fashion- conscious teenager, against starting smoking at her age.

Agnes said, "I was always telling her that if I caught her smoking she would be in trouble.

"I told her it would kill her. But being a teenager, she ignored me and it did kill her."

Her brother Geoffrey, 18, said, "She was a lovely girl and a wonderful sister.

"She knew she shouldn''t smoke and mum was always telling her not to.

"It was awful. I saw her curled up on the floor, choking and foaming at the mouth."

Cardiff coroner Dr Lawrence Addicott has opened an inquest and adjourned it until a later date.

A spokesman said, "We are investigating the circumstances of her death."

A spokesman for Deofab manufacturers MSG, based in Richmond, Surrey, said, "It is not a personal deodorant and carries a safety warning in the instructions.

"It''s the world''s number one deodoriser and is manufactured to UK standards. It is perfectly safe to use in normal circumstances."

The spokesman added, "We have been contacted by the coroner''s office and are co-operating fully with the investigation into the death.

"We have supplied safety data on our product."

Helen never regained consciousness after collapsing at home. She was on a life support machine at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, until she died.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk

Secret smoker, 14, chokes on fabric deodorant fumes

By Richard Savill
(Filed: 10/05/2005)

A schoolgirl has died after spraying herself with a fabric deodorant in the bathroom of her family home to hide the smell of cigarettes.
 
Helen Coffey, 14, who had been smoking in the bathroom, collapsed as she used a can of Deofab to spray her clothes. She died a week later in hospital.

Her family said the aerosol spray in the confined space had made her choke and caused a haemorrhage in her throat.

Her mother, Agnes, 46, said: "She sprayed it all over her clothes, the room and on her hands. She accidentally inhaled it and that''s how she died."

Mrs Coffey added: "She had a rebellious streak, just like all teenagers. That''s why she used to smoke. I begged her not to but she carried on doing it in secret.

"Now of course I wish I''d let her puff away in front of me. At least she would be alive today. She was a wonderful, kind girl."

Mrs Coffey bought the Deofab to freshen up the family home in Rumney, Cardiff. "I had no idea that Helen would use it to try to disguise the smell of smoke," she said.

"I don''t want this to happen to another family."

The Cardiff coroner, Dr Lawrence Addicott, opened and adjourned an inquest until a later date.

The Deofab manufacturers MSG, of Richmond, London, said: "It is not a personal deodorant and carries a safety warning in the instructions.

"It''s the world''s number one deodoriser and is manufactured to UK standards. It is perfectly safe to use in normal circumstances."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/