Father Speaks Out After 19-Year-Old Daughter Dies Following ‘Zombie Vape’ Use
A grieving father has shared the heartbreaking story of his 19-year-old daughter who died after using a dangerous product known as the ‘zombie vape’. The young woman, Shermaine, was found lifeless after falling from a high-rise building just 90 minutes after inhaling the vape.
Mr Zheng, 43, a manager by profession, recounted the events to the media, describing how his daughter’s unsteady movements were captured on a home security camera on the night of 22 September last year. The footage showed Shermaine staggering inside her unit before walking out unsteadily. Within an hour and a half, she tragically fell to her death from the 18th floor of the block.
The post-mortem confirmed multiple injuries caused by the fall, with no traces of illegal drugs detected in her system. Despite this, Mr Zheng believes the ‘zombie vape’ was a key factor leading to her unstable condition.
Father Warns Public of ‘Zombie Vape’ Dangers After Daughter’s Death
The father has since shared the security footage with the police and urged parents to be vigilant about their children’s exposure to such harmful substances. “My daughter told me that the zombie vape couldn’t be detected in tests,” he revealed. Since her passing, he has suffered from sleepless nights and constant grief, questioning if he could have done more to help her.
He stressed the importance of parental supervision in today’s digital age, advising parents to monitor their children’s mobile phone usage and social media contacts closely. Mr Zheng believes that Shermaine’s initial contact with the vape was due to curiosity and warns young people against experimenting with such products.
“Addiction is hard to break once it sets in, and it affects not just you but your whole family,” he added.
Family Background and Struggles With Vaping
Mr Zheng also opened up about his past struggles, sharing that he had a history with drugs and gang involvement in his youth, serving a total of 10 years in prison across eight stints. He began using drugs at 16 and was imprisoned once when Shermaine was just 10 months old, and again when she was 14.
When Shermaine first disclosed her use of electronic cigarettes last January, Mr Zheng opposed it strongly, but his daughter accused him of not understanding young people. Over time, the vaping seemed to take a toll on her health, as captured by surveillance showing episodes of semi-consciousness and convulsions at home.
The daughter, who lived with her grandmother and aunt due to family circumstances, dropped out of school after Secondary 3 and became withdrawn, limiting her interactions with her father.
Mr Zheng hopes his story will raise awareness of the hidden dangers of ‘zombie vapes’ and encourage stronger vigilance among parents and youths alike.