Schoolgirl, 13, dies after suffering severe allergic reaction to Costa hot chocolate
9 August 2024, 13:45
A 13-year-old girl with a severe dairy allergy has died after drinking a hot chocolate from Costa Coffee.
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Hannah Jacobs, 13, from Barking, East London, died on February 8 last year following a suspected anaphylactic reaction to the drink.
She and her mum had stopped at Costa to get a hot chocolate before a trip to the dentist.
Her mum told the barista she had an intolerance to dairy products and asked for the drink with soya milk, according to legal firm Leigh Day.
The schoolgirl had an intolerance to dairy, egg, fish and wheat since she was a toddler, and had managed to navigated the risks her entire life.
But when Hannah took a sip of the drink while waiting for her appointment, she immediately knew it was the wrong milk.
The pair rushed to a pharmacy for help, where Hannah was given an EpiPen to self-administer in a bid to combat the reaction.
Emergency services arrived soon after took Hannah to hospital but they were unable to resuscitate her.
Hannah was declared dead at 1pm.
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The teenager's death follows the case of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 after an allergic reaction to sesame seeds in a Pret a Manger baguette.
In response, the government introduced stricter laws surrounding allergies.
Natasha’s Law came into force in 2021 and now requires all food businesses to provide a full list of ingredients with clear allergen labelling on pre-packaged foods made on the premises.
Experts estimate that 10 people die from an allergic reaction to food each year in Britain.
On average, around 5,000 people are admitted to hospital each year with severe reactions, with around 2.4 million people living with food allergies in the UK.
The inquest into Hannah's death will be held at East London Coroner’s Court on Monday.
