Government Ministers Issue Apology to Mother of Nine-Year-Old Girl Who Died from Air Pollution
Government ministers have recently issued an apology to the mother of a young schoolgirl who tragically passed away from an asthma attack linked to air pollution, as they settled a legal case surrounding her death. Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, aged nine, from south-east London, lost her life following an asthma attack in February 2013 after being exposed to high levels of air pollution. In a significant coroner’s inquest in 2020, Ella, who resided just 25 metres from the heavily trafficked South Circular Road in Lewisham, became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. This marked the culmination of a persistent campaign by Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, to have the impact of toxic air on her daughter’s health formally acknowledged.
Representing her late daughter’s estate, Ms. Adoo-Kissi-Debrah launched a lawsuit against the Environment Department (Defra), the Department for Transport, and the Department for Health and Social Care, seeking compensation for Ella’s “illness and premature death”. The three Government departments settled the claim out of court for an undisclosed sum, avoiding a High Court trial. In a statement to Ms. Adoo-Kissi-Debrah from the ministers of the three departments, they expressed their heartfelt condolences to her, Ella’s siblings, and all who knew the young girl, saying that the Government is “truly sorry for your loss”. The ministers acknowledged that “no child should suffer as Ella did” and recognised the immeasurable loss of losing a loved one at such a young age.
The statement also acknowledged the tireless work of Ella’s family and friends in raising awareness about the dangers posed by air pollution and emphasised that tackling air pollution is a top priority for the Government. Following the public release of the letter, Ms. Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and Ella’s siblings met with Environment Minister Emma Hardy at the Defra offices in London as part of a settlement of a civil claim by law firm Hodge Jones & Allen on behalf of Ella’s estate against the three government departments for violating Ella’s Human Rights Act entitlements, including her right to life.
The tragic death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah has brought much-needed attention to the serious public health issue of air pollution and has underscored the government’s commitment to addressing this issue. The apology from government ministers to Ella’s mother highlights the importance of continued efforts to tackle air pollution and protect the health and well-being of all individuals, especially children who are most vulnerable to its harmful effects.
This settlement serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of air pollution on young lives and the responsibility of governments to take significant action to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.