A 13-year-old schoolgirl with a severe dairy allergy suffered an “immediate reaction” after a just one sip of a Costa Coffee hot chocolate that was supposed to be made with soya milk, an inquest has heard.
Hannah Jacobs, who had been allergic to dairy products, along with fish and eggs, since she was a toddler, died within hours of taking the drink on February 8th, 2022, East London Coroner’s Court was told.
Her mother Abimbola Duyile, who ordered two takeaway soya hot chocolates from the coffee chain before taking Hannah to a dental appointment, said her “anger gave way to terror” after her child’s reaction to the drink.
Ms Duyile said she had been “picky” about telling the coffee shop staff that Hannah, of Barking, east London, had an allergy and they needed to clean the equipment when they made her drink.
In her statement, read 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.”
Hannah took her first sip of the drink when she was at the dentist which was a short walk away.
Ms Duyile recalled that Hannah “abruptly got up and went to the toilet and shouted ‘that was not soya milk’. ”
She said Hannah’s reaction “happened quickly” and she was coughing up phlegm.
Ms Duyile then rushed Hannah, who was complaining of chest pains, to a nearby chemist as her “lips and mouth were very swollen and she was itchy”.
In the statement, Ms Duyile added that “my initial response was of anger to the Costa Coffee staff – it gave way to terror”.
Hannah collapsed in the chemist and the pharmacist gave her an an EpiPen injection in her leg. Attempts to resuscitate were started and a customer called an ambulance. Paramedics soon arrived and continued resuscitation efforts.
Hannah was rushed to hospital where she was declared dead by 1pm, according to her family’s lawyers.
Giving evidence, Ms Duyile also told the court that she had been careful about checking with the staff before they prepared the drinks, saying: “I made sure that the staff was aware that this was not a joke”.
Ms Duyile said she was being “extra picky” and so specific about the order that she “might sound like a crazy mum” but her attitude was that she needed “to be straight with the staff”.
She added that, at that point, “Hannah was busy telling me off for being so picky”.
Of the reaction of the staff behind the counter to her request, Ms Duyile told the court: “I feel that she did not understand what I was saying, which is why I leaned forwards so that she could hear what I was saying.”
Her family had opted for a policy of “complete avoidance” as a way to manage Hannah’s allergies. It meant Hannah was “diligent” about what she ate when she was away from home and would only try things that had been cooked by her mother or aunt or had been checked beforehand.
She even brought her own bottle of ketchup with her for some meals, would check with shop staff before ordering as she “understood” that “managing her allergies was just part of life”.
Earlier, Ms Duyile remembered her daughter as a proud, kind and confident child who had a “strong sense of right and wrong”.
She 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.”
Receiving an early dose of adrenaline could have been key to Hannah’s treatment and since she weighed 47 kilos and was a teenager she would have needed more than 150mcg, the court heard.
Assistant coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe wondered whether it may have made a difference if Hannah had been given two 300mcg doses after she arrived at the chemist.
Dr Rahul Chodhari, who had been involved in the management of Hannah’s allergies, said it would be hard to predict, adding that “150mcg was certainly too small a dose to be given”.
The coroner also said: “Nine minutes after consuming the drink she (Hannah) had left the dentist. I had understood that if she had received a intra muscular adrenaline injection within that period she would have survived. Is that right, doctor? “
Dr Chodhari replied “yes”.
The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday at 10am.
