Mum’s Heartbreaking Plea After Daughter, 13, Died from Sip of Costa Drink
An inquest into the tragic death of Hannah Jacobs, a 13-year-old girl who suffered a fatal reaction to a Costa hot chocolate, concluded with her mother, Abimbola Duyile, making a heartbreaking plea for better allergen safety training in the food service industry. Hannah, who had allergies to dairy, fish, and eggs, passed away within hours of consuming a sip of the drink on February 8, 2023. The East London Coroner’s Court heard that the hot chocolate, which was supposed to be made with soya milk, triggered an immediate allergic reaction in the schoolgirl from Barking, east London.
The inquest found that Hannah’s death resulted from a failure to follow allergy protocols and a lack of communication between the coffee shop staff and her mother. Assistant coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe pointed out the deficiencies in discussing allergies and communicating effectively between the staff and the customer. Speaking on behalf of Ms Duyile, a member of her legal team criticised the lax approach to allergen training in the food service industry and the inadequate response to possible anaphylactic reactions.
The court learned that new Costa staff members underwent online training modules at home, with some struggling to pass the quiz, indicating potential shortcomings in their preparedness to handle allergy-related incidents. Faton Abrashi, a regional operations manager for Costa Coffee, revealed that baristas were only authorised to serve customers with allergies after completing specific allergy safety training. The inquest highlighted the absence of stricter measures in overseeing employee training and the language barriers faced by some staff members.
Following the inquest’s findings, Abimbola Duyile expressed her grief over the loss of her daughter and emphasised the need for better awareness and adherence to allergy protocols in the food service industry. She underscored the importance of taking allergy training seriously and not treating it as a mere formality, particularly in light of the tragic consequences her family faced due to the oversight.
As the Department of Health was approached for comment on the matter, the case serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of proper allergen safety training and communication protocols to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Hannah’s untimely passing has sparked a call for greater vigilance and awareness of allergen management to safeguard the lives of those with food allergies.