Costa Coffee: Confusion may have led to allergy death – inquest

A 13-year-old girl with a severe dairy allergy who died after drinking a Costa Coffee hot chocolate made with cows’ milk may have fallen victim to “miscommunication”, an inquest has heard.

Hannah Jacobs, of Barking, east London, died within hours of sipping the drink on 8 February 2023.

Hannah and her mother Abimbola Duyile visited the Costa Coffee branch in Station Parade, Barking, owned and operated by a franchisee, to buy two soya hot chocolates before Hannah attended the dentist.

At London Coroner’s Court, barista Urmi Akter said she took the order from Ms Duyile and said she had repeated the mother’s request that the jug be washed out, and pointed out hot chocolate is made from milk.

Ms Akter said Ms Duyile had asked for two hot chocolates adding: “Can you wash the jug because my daughter has a dairy allergy?”

Under Costa’s rules customers who ask for a non-dairy product or state they have a dietary requirement should be shown a book that is kept under the till which includes ingredients and details of how the drink is made.

Ms Akter said: “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.”

Ms Akter used her legal right, under coroners’ rules, not to answer a series of questions that could be seen as incriminating, related to her training, understanding and actions as she was being given the order.

The inquest was told there is a factual dispute about the order as Ms Duyile says she asked for two soya hot chocolates and asked staff to thoroughly clean the equipment.

However, Ms Akter told the court she had repeated Ms Duyile’s request to have the jug washed, and also pointed out that hot chocolate drink was made from milk.

On Monday, Ms Duyile told the inquest 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”.

After leaving the coffee shop, Hannah was taken to the dentist for an appointment, a short walk away, where she took her first sip of the drink.

Ms Duyile recalled Hannah “abruptly got up and went to the toilet and shouted ‘that was not soya milk'”.

The mother then took Hannah, who was complaining of chest pains, to a nearby chemist where Hannah collapsed.

Attempts to resuscitate her were started and a customer called an ambulance, the inquest heard.

Hannah was taken to hospital where she died.

The inquest, which began on Monday, is due to last six days.