Mayhem in the Morgue | H.R. Huffing Stuff

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses inhalant abuse and the everyday household products people use to get high. He explains how substances like spray paint, canned air, Freon, and other chemicals affect the nervous system, limit oxygen, and sometimes trigger fatal heart rhythms. Through cases involving whipped cream canisters, dental nitrous oxide, hairspray, and jenkem, Dr. Crowns shows why these deaths can be difficult to diagnose, often leaving few obvious autopsy findings and relying heavily on scene investigation and toxicology.

Episodes Mentioned:

Mayhem in the Morgue | Foraging Misadventures

Mayhem in the Morgue | Minty Fresh

Highlights:

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

(0:15) Huffing, bored teenagers, and the pre-internet search for ways to get high

(4:30) What huffing means and why inhaling chemical vapors can be deadly

(5:15) The household products commonly abused as inhalants and how these chemicals affect the brain

(7:15) Spray paint, “chromers, ” and the autopsy clues that can point to toluene exposure

(9:00) Canned air cases and the unusual scene findings investigators often encounter

(10:15) Nitrous oxide abuse, a dentist found dead in his chair, whipped cream cans, and whip-its

(15:30) How plastic bags increase the risk of asphyxiation and the lasting damage caused by chronic nitrous oxide abuse

(17:15) Freon, frostbite injuries, and sudden sniffing death syndrome

(20:30) A hairspray huffing death with misleading alcohol levels in the vitreous fluid

(23:00) A 17-year-old found dead in a bathtub, a bottle found at the scene, and Dr. Crowns’ firsthand jenkem case

(29:00) Hydrogen sulfide toxicity, drowning, and Dr. Crowns’ closing advice

About the Host

Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often misunderstood realities of forensic pathology.

About the Show

Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners into the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.

Connect and Learn More

You can learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts.

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