A 13-year-old girl tragically passed away after drinking a small amount of hot chocolate, as revealed during an inquest at East London Coroner’s Court.
Hannah Jacobs, a British teenager, had severe allergies to fish, eggs, and dairy since she was a toddler and had learned to manage these allergies in her everyday life.
On February 8, 2022, Hannah was en route to a dental appointment in London with her mother, Abimbola Duyile. They decided to stop at a Costa Coffee branch in Barking for a hot chocolate.
Ms. Duyile recounted how she was very particular about ensuring that the hot chocolate was made with soy milk and that all equipment was properly sanitized.
In a statement read out in court, she said: “When I arrived at the coffee shop I said to the person serving that we both would like hot chocolate.
“I said that Hannah was severely allergic to cows’ milk and said they should clean the jug – to which they agreed.”
After purchasing the drinks, they proceeded to a nearby dentist’s office. Hannah took a sip of her drink while in the waiting room.
Ms. Duyile recalled how her daughter “abruptly got up and went to the toilet and shouted ‘that was not soya milk’.”
In her statement, Ms. Duyile added: “My initial response was of anger to the Costa Coffee staff – it gave way to terror.”
Hannah’s reaction was swift; she began coughing up phlegm and complained of chest pains. Ms. Duyile quickly took Hannah to a nearby pharmacy in search of an EpiPen, suspecting an anaphylactic reaction.
A pharmacist administered the EpiPen to Hannah’s leg after she collapsed in the chemist. A customer called an ambulance, and resuscitation efforts were initiated and later taken over by paramedics.
Hannah was transported to the hospital, where she was sadly pronounced dead by 1pm, according to the family’s legal representatives.
Due to her severe allergies, Hannah and her family practiced ‘complete avoidance’ of allergens at home, and she mostly ate food meticulously prepared by her mother or aunt.
Dr. Rahul Chodhari, who managed Hannah’s allergies, also provided testimony during the inquest. When asked by Assistant Coroner Dr. Shirley Radcliffe if two doses of adrenaline 300mcg could have altered the outcome, Dr. Chodhari responded that it was difficult to predict, adding, ‘150mcg was certainly too small a dose to be given.’
The inquest will continue with additional testimonies before the coroner issues a ruling on the circumstances surrounding Hannah’s death.
Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms. Duyile said: “I know that she would have achieved anything she set her mind to. I loved my child so much and my heart is broken.”