STANDING over his only child as she retched uncontrollably, Delfard Tay knew his daughter’s addiction had spiralled out of control.
And when he replayed haunting footage of Shermaine, 19, staggering like a zombie moments before plunging to her death, he knew exactly what was to blame.
SuppliedShermaine Tay, 19, died after falling from the 18th floor of her apartment building[/caption]
Delfard TayLogistics manager Delfard believes her death was linked to her addiction to ‘zombie vapes’[/caption]
Delfard TayShermaine pictured with her dad Delfard, 43, who has spoken out about the dangers of so-called Kpods[/caption]
Delfard TayOne of Shermaine’s Kpods, which her dad says are responsible for her death[/caption]
The sight of her eerie behaviour was a familiar one, Delfard, from Singapore, told The Sun, as he detailed how Shermaine had been addicted to “zombie vapes” for nearly a year before she died.
The drug-laced vapes are more commonly known as Kpods in Southeast Asia – and are said to have earned this name as they are often spiked with ketamine.
Swarms of teens have been seen in public in a “zombie-like” state after using the trending devices, with some users as young as 13 years old, shocking reports claim.
The alarming craze is rampant in Singapore – a nation with some of the world’s toughest drug laws, where certain offences can mean the death penalty.
And even the UK is seeing a surge in drug-laced vapes – with substances ranging from Xylazine, also known as “Tranq”, Spice and even ketamine reportedly found inside.
A bombshell study last year found one in six vapes seized from schoolkids in England were tainted with “zombie drug” Spice.
As a child, Shermaine was “always full of light… the kind of little girl who could walk into a room and instantly lift the mood”, Delfard remembers.
She had big dreams of becoming a TikTok influencer, since she wanted to “make people smile and feel less alone”.
But after being introduced to “zombie vapes” by pals, Shermaine was immediately hooked, her dad says.
Her addiction became so bad that on one occasion she filled “the whole house” with vomit.
The dad-of-one recounted the devastating 4am call he received from his aunt on September 22 last year.
Shermaine had been found dead at the foot of their apartment block.
After his daughter’s death, Delfard, 43, watched the home’s security cameras and saw Shermaine “shaking” while stumbling out the door in her final moments.
The footage left him in no doubt she was “under the influence” of Kpods when she plunged to her death from the 18th floor of their building in Tanjong Pagar.
Delfard told The Sun: “She said that the police were knocking at the door and asking for my daughter, Shermaine Tay.
“The inspector took over and told me that my daughter is gone.”
He added: “I asked him, ‘what do you mean by gone?’
“[The inspector] didn’t say much, but he said that her phone was found on 18th floor, so most probably she dropped from there.
“I was shocked. I stayed there for half an hour, not doing anything.”
Telltale signs
Shermaine’s fall was ruled a suicide by authorities – despite cops not finding any notes as evidence for this on her phone or nearby.
And Delfard is convinced that her death was linked to months of abusing the illegal vapes.
Asked about how he was sure of this, the dad said: “Because I checked back the cameras on that day.”
Her disturbing behaviour was a “symptom” of her being high on Kpods, he says.
He added: “The last I saw of her, [she was] shaking going out of the house, that’s why I confirmed that she was under the influence.”
SuppliedShe was just 19 years old when she fell from her apartment building[/caption]
Delfard TayShermaine pictured with her dad when she was younger[/caption]
SuppliedA picture from Shermaine’s wake[/caption]
Delfard TayShermaine’s death was linked to Kpods, her dad claimed[/caption]
The logistics manager compared Shermaine’s appearance on the day she died to how she had been acting in the days leading up to her death.
He detailed how he and his daughter had argued just days before she fell – when she vomited profusely.
“I had a quarrel with her and I asked her if she had taken any drugs, and she said no,” he said.
“I looked back at the camera, she was convulsing, shaking… repeating the same thing over and over and over again.
“And on the day itself, I re-tracked the footage – it’s the same thing.”
Social service agencies in Singapore have reported swathes of youngsters who have experienced similar symptoms while using Kpods, Channel News Asia reported.
At the end of day it’s their parents – do they show love? Do they really care about their children? For me… I neglected her
Delfard Tay
Common effects of using Kpods include “zombie-like” disorientation, confusion, aggression, unsteady walking, and sudden collapse, according to rehab centre Addictions Recovery Singapore.
They said: “We have seen evidence that vape liquids can also be clandestinely laced with ketamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and synthetic cannabinoids – often unknown to the user.
“At the forefront of this trend is a new street term: Kpods.”
The surge in Kpod use has gripped Singapore – and victims’ loved ones have taken to social media or local news outlets to tell of their frightening experiences.
Horrifying reports of drug-laced vapes have also rocked Britain – with claims some kids were left suffering seizures and chilling personality changes.
In one particularly shocking case in Singapore, a 56-year-old woman told how she was forced to restrain her 27-year-old son as he tried to leap out a window while high on Kpods in June, Shin Min Daily News reported.
The mum explained that her child had been hooked on “zombie vapes” since October 2024.
Delfard TayDelfard said his daughter used Kpods for nearly a year before her death[/caption]
Delfard TayThe 19-year-old was introduced to the devices by friends[/caption]
Delfard TayAnother one of Shermaine’s Kpods, pictured[/caption]
Although Delfard tried tirelessly to persuade his daughter to give up her dangerous habit, most of these conversations ended in arguments followed by days of silence.
He said: “I asked her, ‘why do you want to do this?’
“Singapore is a very strict country with drugs, and once you get caught you will be either under urine [drug test] regime or go to a drug rehabilitation centre, or prison.”
Shermaine told her dad that when she had to do urine drug tests the results would fail to show any traces of them in her system.
This is because many Kpods contain etomidate – a fast-acting anaesthetic used in hospitals.
Kpod sellers boast about the substance being undetectable in urine tests – giving buyers a false sense of safety that they won’t face harsh punishments in Singapore.
Operating on sites such as Telegram, dealers also encourage young people to risk buying them as etomidate is classified as a poison under Singapore’s Poisons Act – and not as a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
But authorities are set to change the rules.
Shermaine was doing urine drug tests once a week, according to her dad, but the doctors never flagged any drugs in her system.
When asked if he knew if his daughter had unknowingly consumed ketamine from her the vapes in the lead-up to her death, he said: “I just don’t know.”
The Kpod crisis has also affected Delfard’s friend, who admitted to him that he was using Kpods.
TelegramScreenshot showing a Kpod dealer’s advert on Telegram[/caption]
HSAKpods seized by the Health Sciences Authority in Singapore[/caption]
SuppliedShermaine was ‘shaking and convulsing’ in the days before her death[/caption]
Describing his pal’s zombie-like behaviour while using the vape, he said: “He just cannot stand well, and his leg is shaking.”
Delfard said he also witnessed another person “drop backwards” while smiling after using them.
“Mostly teenagers are using these,” he revealed, adding that Kpods were “a common thing now in Singapore”.
He said: “I think some parents still don’t know what this Kpod thing is about. They just maybe think that for children it is normal [for them to be] vaping.”
But during government tests of 100 seized vapes, one in three Kpods were found to contain etomidate, Singapore’s Health Minister said on July 20.
Although the devices are usually used to deliver nicotine, the minister said they can be “a delivery device for a range of substances, from nicotine to psychoactive substances such as etomidate, to hardcore drugs that are illegal”.
We have seen evidence that vape liquids can also be clandestinely laced with ketamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and synthetic cannabinoids – often unknown to the user
Addictions Recovery Singapore
Addressing the “invisible crisis”, Delfard warned: “The government need to have help centres for teenagers.
“But more of it is actually individual parents – they need to know about their children’s life, they need to look into the roots of it.”
Delfard’s advice to other parents is to show their children love – and to be involved in their lives.
He continued: “At the end of day it’s their parents – do they show love? Do they really care about their children?
“Talk more about love with our children. Care about them. Look into their life. What’s the root problem? Why are they taking this?”
The grieving dad added: “For me… I neglected her. I wanted to prove to her by example that we don’t need to go to vices in order to survive.
“We don’t need to take to take drugs to escape. But I’m a bit too late.”
As a former addict, Delfard knows the harsh reality.
“I’ve been a drug addict before… I know how hard it is to come out of it,” he said.
“Once they get addicted, it’s not like they don’t want to come out of it.”
Delfard said he likes to remember Shermaine’s big heart.
“She had a strong sense of fairness; she would stand up for her friends, share her toys without hesitation, and notice if someone was feeling left out,” he said.
“I saw in her a mix of creativity, confidence, and kindness that made me believe she could inspire others.”
The Singaporean government has announced plans to list etomidate as a Class C drug following soaring reports of laced Kpods.
SuppliedDelfard said he ‘neglected’ his daughter[/caption]
HSAThe government is cracking down on Kpod traffickers[/caption]