A 20-year-old woman from New Zealand tragically died of asphyxiation at her daughter’s birthday after inhaling helium. The family of Faith Waterman Batistich, along with the coroner, are issuing a stark warning about the dangers of this seemingly harmless party trick that claimed the life of a young mother.
The tragedy occurred during a birthday celebration in September 2022, as Batistich was enjoying her second daughter’s special day. Family members were having fun inhaling helium from balloons to make their voices high-pitched, but things took a tragic turn when someone suggested inhaling directly from the canister.
As Batistich inhaled, another person inadvertently increased the flow, causing her to instantly turn blue. Emergency personnel tried to resuscitate her, giving her four shots of adrenaline but were in vain.
“Nothing got her back,” her twin sister Eden Waterman told The New Zealand Herald. Batistich died from asphyxiation moments later.
Helium is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Inhaling helium displaces oxygen in the lungs, leading to hypoxia, a condition where blood oxygen levels drop dangerously low, causing potential brain and organ damage, and in some cases, death.
“It can be considered funny and entertaining in a party environment to inhale helium which produces a high-pitched noise similar to that of a chipmunk. This is a known party pleaser. Many people are, however, unaware of the potential threats of inhaling helium in such a situation. What may seem like harmless fun is potentially life-threatening,” cautioned Coroner Louella Dunn.
“These threats are heightened when inhaling pressurized helium from a cylinder/canister given the amount that can enter the body due to the pressurized gas,” Dunn said.
Batistich was also unaware of the inherent dangers of inhaling helium. Her death was unexpected and tragic, Dunn added.
After the young mother’s untimely death, her family tries to raise awareness about the dangers of helium. “Just don’t do it. We refuse to purchase helium or be around anyone who has it,” Waterman said.
Exposure to high levels of helium can cause symptoms like headaches and dizziness. Contact with liquid helium can lead to frostbite. For first aid, the affected area should be immersed in warm water. If someone inhales helium, they should be quickly moved to fresh air and given rescue breathing or CPR, if necessary, before being transferred to a medical facility.
