Finding into death of J Q

16y · Female·Plastic bag asphyxia

A 16-year-old girl with a history of suicidal ideation and self-harm died by plastic bag asphyxia using argon gas purchased from a hardware store. She had been seeing a psychologist who noted improvement in her mental health, and she declined further appointments in late 2021. She returned to school in 2022 appearing happy but reported feeling tired and overwhelmed in mid-February. She purchased argon gas and equipment on 7-8 March 2022 and took her own life that evening. The coroner found Victoria Police's missing persons investigation was timely and appropriate. Key issues identified included: the ease of accessing argon gas from retail outlets (unlike helium which now has safety standards), delays in obtaining CCTV footage from railway stations, and initial dismissive police response when parents reported her missing. The coroner notes that despite previous coronial recommendations, regulatory agencies have been unable or unwilling to restrict access to argon gas or implement design modifications to prevent its misuse in suicide.