Mother Blames Glade Freshener over Son's Death

December 4, 2009

Baton Rouge, Louisiana - The mother of an 8-year-old boy has claimed that Glade air freshener has killed her son and plans to file a product liability lawsuit against SC Johnson which manufactures the said product.

Jeannie Johnson said her son Alex, who was suffering from autism, grabbed the can of air freshener and accidentally squeezed this and sprayed fluid in front of his face.

“I pleaded to him [Alex] to return the can, but before I can grab it, he moves both of his hands in his chest, which he normally does when he knows he’s in trouble, and then it sprayed”, Johnson said.

Johnson said she immediately grabbed the spray can and brought this to the kitchen. Seconds later, she saw her son collapsed on the floor.

Alex was airlifted to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival by doctors.

In the boy’s death certificate, the hospital cited "inhalation of air freshener” as the cause of death which is also confirmed by a recent autopsy.

In a statement, SC Johnson officials said “their product is not the cause of the tragedy since it provides proper warning and label.”

All Glade freshener cans have a warning sign that reads “intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling the contents can be harmful or fatal.”