Pre-teen death sparks outcry among peers and parents

“Sierrah Yarbrough was a 12-year-old trying to figure out how to live her life. Now her life is cut short.”
Those words, spoken by one of the organizers of a memorial service in Sierrah’s honor at dusk on Wednesday, sum up the sentiments spoken by those gathered in front of the family’s home in the 1800 block of Chestnut Street.
Denise Holman, neighbor, said that Sierrah was a good kid who was having some problems.
In hushed tones the mourners spoke of the suspected reason for Sierrah’s death: ‘Huffing.’
Those close to the family tell of the 12-year-old found in her bed on Sunday, where she had apparently been inhaling aerosol hair spray. Found by her sister, emergency crews were summoned and Sierrah was taken to Columbia for medical care. She failed to regain consciousness, according to the source, and died on Wednesday.
“We’re failing our kids,” Denise Holman said. “I’m glad these people are here tonight, but something has to be done now.”
That something, adults agreed, is finding suitable activities for teens in Hannibal. “There’s no girls’club or boys’ club here,” Denise said. Many youth don’t have access to the money to go to the YMCA or even to DARE dances, the parents said. Gail Norfolk, whose daughters are friends with Sierrah and her family, expressed similar sentiments. “Our youth have nothing to do. We need a building where kids can go. It’s not limited to poverty neighborhoods. It’s everywhere. These kids need something to do besides drugs and sex.”
As a mother of teens herself, Gail said her awareness has been heightened by this tragedy. “My ears have always been to the ground. Now my eyes are definitely more open,” she said.
“She (Sierrah) learned huffing from somewhere,” Denise Holman said. “It was a common can of hair spray. She inhaled so much her brain started to die.”
Tomika Kyle, who helped organize Wednesday evening’s memorial service, was adamant that adults need to rally together to help find something for young teens to do with their idle time. “Kids are running around without supervision,” she said.
Brenda Dorsey lives on Settles Street, and Sierrah was her daughter’s best friend. Brenda didn’t know about huffing until recently. “She (Sierrah) was a very special girl, the kids hung out together, watched the flood water, and just walked around and played. If I’d known what she (Sierrah) was doing, I would have done something. My 11-year-old doesn’t understand why Sierrah died,” Brenda said. “I said, sometimes, baby, things happen like that.”
Bobbi Marlin said that Sierrah is her cousin, and that she has a daughter the same age. She’s certain this tragedy was an accident. “The community needs to be aware. An EMT told me this is a real problem in the school.”
Renee Watkins, manager of Pick-A-Dilly at 1910 Market St., said that Sierrah was one of her customers at the store. “I’ve worked in this area for 17 years and have seen so much. Little kids are called runners. They run and get drugs for grownups. They wear beepers, and go to the pay phone and the adults tell them what to do. Little kids - 8-years-old - are involved in drug deals all the time. They need to clean up the streets in this area - and all over town.”
Neighbors described Sierrah’s family as middle class - the parents work and take care of the kids. “They were trying to raise four daughters,” neighbor Denise Holman said. “Now one of them is gone.”
Sierrah is the daughter of Jelica Fay Smith and Ivan Yarbrough, and stepdaughter of Will Smith.
Tomika Kyle is determined that something positive will come out of this tragedy. “There has to be something else for these kids to do. The (the death of children) cannot be the outcome. I will not accept it.”

What is ‘huffing’?
The National Drug Intelligence Center describes the ‘huffing’ scenario: “Abusers, primarily adolescents, inhale chemical vapors from a variety of substances, many of which are common household products. These young people abuse inhalants in order to obtain a euphoric effect and are often unaware of the potential risks, which include brain damage and death.