World Vignettes

Smell of death

MANCHESTER: A 16-year-old boy obsessed with smelling nice died after months of repeatedly spraying his entire body with deodorant, a coroner ruled. Jonathan Capewell had 10 times the lethal dosage of propane and butane in his blood when he suffered a heart attack and died on July 29, coroner Barrie Williams said yesterday. 8220;It is believed the fumes built up in his body following months of high deodorant use,8221; Williams said. 8220;His personal hygiene led him to use more than was normal in a confined space, which limits ventilation,8221; said the coronor, who recorded the death as accidental. Jonathan8217;s father, Keith Capewell, said his son would cover his entire body with deodorant at least twice a day. 8220;When we told him he was using too much, he said he just wanted to smell good,8221; Capewell said. 8220;Even when we were in a room downstairs we couldn8217;t just smell it, we could taste it,8221; the father said. 8220;You wouldn8217;t have thought that could have been the cause for someone to die. What aprice to pay for smelling nice.8221;