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14-year-old girl dies after inhaling computer cleaner

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Friends and family are mourning a 14-year-old honor student who died after inhaling computer keyboard cleaner, authorities say.

Aria Doherty, a student at Nobel Charter Middle School in Northridge, died at her at her home Monday of apparent cardiac arrest, KTLA-TV reported. An autopsy was pending.

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Her older sister found her in bed with a can of compressed air still attached to her mouth, her nostrils taped shut, the TV station reported. Her parents said they want their daughter’s death to be a message to other parents to be aware of the threat posed by common household items.

“It’s what the students are doing. We didn’t know much about it at all,” said Aria’s father, Richard Doherty. “Apparently it’s a quick high and it’s fatal in something like 20% of the times you use it,” he added.

Aria loved animals and was active in the school’s drama productions. Grief counselors from the Los Angeles Unified School District were at the school Wednesday talking to students.

“I’ll miss the incredible warmth,” said her mother, Carolyn Doherty. “Whenever I was with her … There’s nobody that can compare to her.” Her death comes one week after a 12-year-old girl from Victorville, Kristal Salcido, died after inhaling Freon from the air conditioning units in her backyard.

Kristal inhaled the chemical, later passing out in her grandmother’s bathroom. She was pronounced brain-dead at a hospital. Her family made the difficult choice to take her off life support four days later.

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