After consuming a hot chocolate from Costa Coffee that she thought was prepared with soy milk, a 13-year-old girl who had a severe dairy allergy passed away.
On February 8, 2023, Hannah Jacobs, an east London resident from Barking, picked up the takeout drink with her mother while en route to a dentist appointment.
Since she was a toddler, the schoolgirl and her family have been aware of her allergy to dairy, eggs, fish, and wheat, and they have managed the dangers throughout her life.
Leigh Day solicitors claim that Hannah’s mother told the barista about her daughter’s dairy allergy when she placed the drink order.
Hannah started drinking the beverage in the dentist’s waiting room and got suspicious that it wasn’t prepared with soy milk, which raised questions about its ingredients.
They went to a nearby pharmacy for assistance, and there Hannah was given an EpiPen to self-administer. This helps to prevent allergic reactions by relaxing the airway muscles and buying time for additional help to come.
She was declared dead at 1pm, despite the efforts of an ambulance crew who arrived on the scene immediately after and tried to resuscitate her.
The hot chocolate drink had caused what appeared to be a serious anaphylactic reaction in her.
On August 12, the East London Coroner’s Court will open an inquest into her death with the goal of determining what exactly happened before she passed away.
More common allergy in children
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that, once triggered, can be fatal. It develops very quickly.
It has been reported that approximately 500 to 1000 people in the United States die from an allergic reaction every year, though those numbers are steadily increasing.
According to Allergy UK, cow’s milk causes allergies in roughly one in every fifty children in the developed world, making dairy allergies the most frequent in children.
Hannah’s passing comes after that of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who passed away in 2016 as a result of an allergic reaction to sesame seeds in a Pret a Manger baguette.
The government responded by announcing the implementation of more stringent regulations meant to protect those who suffer from allergies.
When Natasha’s Law went into effect in 2021, it mandated that all food establishments label pre-packaged items produced on-site for direct sale with clear allergen labels and comprehensive ingredient lists.
Previously, rather than just on specific items prepared in-store, shops only needed to post broad allergen warnings throughout the store.
According to the Food Standards Agency, businesses that sell food run the risk of paying fines.