A schoolgirl who suffered an allergic reaction to a Costa hot chocolate died due to a “failure of communication” at the popular coffee chain, an inquest has concluded.
Hannah Jacobs, 13, who was allergic to dairy products, fish and eggs, died within hours of drinking a hot chocolate at Costa’s Barking branch in February 2023.
An inquest revealed there had been a miscommunication between her mother Abimbola Duyile and a Costa employee.
Duyile reportedly ordered the drink with soya milk but the employee made it with cow’s milk.
Assistant coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe described Jacobs as an outspoken teenager with a “strong personality”.
She said: “On February 8, 2023, Hannah was served a dairy hot chocolate at Costa Coffee Barking despite her mother informing staff of a dairy allergy. Neither Hannah nor her mother was carrying an Epipen.
“The root cause of this death was a failure to follow the process in place to discuss allergies with customers who self declare [them], combined with a failure of communication between the mother and the baristas.”
Jacobs’ death was confirmed as a hypersensitve anaphylactic reaction triggered by an ingredient in her hot chocolate that caused an allergic response.
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The Crown Prosecution Service did not find grounds for a criminal trial at the time.
Dr Radcliffe had denied there was evidence of unlawful killing or neglect.
“Dealing with unlawful killing,” she said, “I don’t think there is sufficient evidence on the balance of probabilities that there was a serious and obvious risk of this death for the baristas in Costa Coffee.”
Dr Radcliffe added: “You have been remarkably stoic throughout all of this which must have been very hard. My deepest condolences to you and your family and friends.”
A schoolgirl has died from a suspected severe allergic reaction after drinking a hot chocolate from Costa CoffeeLeigh DayNadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, co-founders of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, urged Sir Keir Starmer to appoint an allegery tsar following the outcome of the inquest.
In a joint statement, they said: “It has been heartbreaking to hear over the course of the last few days the catalogue of errors and missed opportunities which resulted in the death of schoolgirl Hannah Jacobs from a food allergy.
“This is yet another death from food allergy that should never have happened. It was entirely preventable.
“Today, in the light of Hannah’s case and the pressing need for action, we have written to ministers again asking for an urgent meeting and are hoping that they will understand the time critical seriousness of this situation and reply with a more positive response.
“How many more children must die before we start taking food allergy seriously?”
Source Agencies
