A 19-year-old girl from Arizona has died after attempting a dangerous social media trend, according to AZ Family. Her parents say she was taking part in the viral “dusting” challenge, also known as “chroming.”

What is the challenge?

The trend involves users recording themselves inhaling keyboard cleaning spray to gain more views on their social media profiles and videos. While trying the challenge, Renna O’Rourke went into cardiac arrest.

She was rushed to hospital and remained unconscious for almost a week before being declared brain dead.

“Heartbroken parents”

“She always said, ‘I’m gonna be famous, Dad. Just you watch. I’m gonna be famous,’ and unfortunately, this is not under the most optimal of circumstances,” her father, Aaron O’Rourke, told AZ Family.

“There’s no ID required. It’s odorless. It’s everything kids look for. They can afford it, they can get it, and it doesn’t show in mom and dad’s drug test,” said her mother, Dana, speaking about the dangers of the trend. The grieving parents are now trying to warn others to prevent more young people from falling victim.

Why is the trend dangerous?

Dr. Randy Weisman, head of the Intensive Care Unit at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, described the trend as "extremely concerning".

He explained, "When they inhale these chemicals in the gas it will actually replace the oxygen within their lungs and within the rest of their body."

The gas can cause a brief feeling of euphoria, but the harm can be permanent and deadly. The doctor said it can lead to “Failure of the liver, heart failure, disease of the lungs.”

“She’s not the only one that this has happened to. Several other teenagers have succumbed to this same disorder,” Dr. Weisman added.

In a joint statement, former secretary A Shankar and treasurer E S Jairam said they had submitted their resignations on Thursday night to the KSCA president, news agency PTI reported.

The statement read, “...due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days, and though our role was very limited, we wish to state that we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.”

A stampede occurred on Wednesday evening in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team's IPL victory celebrations.

The Bengaluru Police had on Thursday registered an FIR against the RCB franchise, DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., an event management company; and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for “culpable homicide, illegal assembly, and other serious charges”.

On Friday, a Sessions Court in Bengaluru remanded four individuals, including senior RCB official Nikhil Sosale and three event managers, to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the stampede.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court granted interim relief to the office bearers of the KSCA), who had approached the court seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against them in connection with the stampede, which claimed the lives of 11 people.

KSCA president Raghuram Bhat, secretary Shankar and treasurer Jayaram had earlier submitted in the Karnataka High Court that the gate management and crowd management were not the responsibility of the association and they had sought permission to hold RCB IPL celebrations at Vidhan Soudha.

The Karnataka Police also suspended multiple IPS officers, including the Bengaluru city police Commissioner, B Dayananda. (Mint)