A heartbroken mother has spoken out after her 13-year-old daughter reportedly died after being served a hot chocolate at a popular coffee chain.
As previously reported, Hannah Jacobs, who had been severely allergic to dairy, fish, and eggs since early childhood, passed away just hours after allegedly taking a single sip of the hot beverage.
According to Sky News, Hannah lost her life after drinking a hot chocolate from Costa Coffee that was mistakenly made with dairy milk, despite her severe allergy.
The incident occurred on February 8, 2022, and was detailed during an inquest at East London Coroner's Court.
The inquest revealed that Barista Urmi Akter took the order for the takeaway drinks from Hannah’s mother, Abimbola Duyile, at a Costa Coffee franchise in Barking.
Duyile has previously stated in a hearing that her "anger gave way to terror" after witnessing her daughter's reaction to the drink.
According to the court, the fatal incident may have been the result of a "miscommunication" regarding the order.
Akter, who had worked at the Costa Coffee branch for about eight months, exercised her legal right under coroners’ rules not to answer a series of questions that "could be seen as incriminating" during her testimony.
In a statement read out in court, Duyile described what happened when they visited the coffee shop.
“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.”
However, shortly after leaving the coffee shop, Hannah took a sip of her drink and immediately sensed something was wrong.
“She abruptly got up and went to the toilet and shouted, ‘That was not soya milk,’” Duyile recounted, describing how her daughter began coughing and exhibiting signs of a severe allergic reaction.
The situation quickly deteriorated as Hannah experienced chest pains, swelling of her lips and mouth, and intense itching. Duyile rushed her daughter to a nearby chemist, but the teenager collapsed upon arrival.
Despite receiving an EpiPen injection and efforts by a pharmacist to resuscitate her, Hannah was pronounced dead at the hospital by 1:00PM, according to the family’s lawyers.
The inquest has revealed a factual dispute about the order. Duyile maintains that she asked for two soya hot chocolates and specifically requested that staff thoroughly clean the equipment.
Akter testified that she could hear and see Duyile "clearly" as she served her at the counter, per BBC News.
Under Costa’s rules, customers who request a non-dairy product or state they have a dietary requirement should be shown a book kept under the till, which includes ingredients and details of how the drink is prepared.
However, Akter admitted in a statement that she did not show Duyile the book.
“I did not show the mother the book as she told me washing the jug was fine. I thought she, as the mother, would know more about it. I gave her the drink she requested.”
Assistant Coroner Dr. Shirley Radcliffe, who informed Akter that she was not required to answer certain questions, summarized the situation: “As far as I understand, you said the mother mentioned the dairy allergy. The book was not shown to the mother, and the only thing done was to make one drink, wash the jug, and make the other drink.”
Duyile emphasized that she had been particularly cautious when placing the order, ensuring the staff were fully aware of the severity of her daughter’s allergy.
She admitted to being "extra picky" with the order, acknowledging that she might have come across as overbearing but felt it was necessary given the circumstances.
"Hannah was busy telling me off for being so picky," Duyile noted, adding that she believed the barista "did not understand what I was saying," which led her to lean forward and speak more clearly to ensure her instructions were followed.
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