Girl died after drinking Costa hot chocolate, inquest told

A 13-year-old girl with a severe dairy allergy suffered an “immediate reaction” after just one sip of a Costa Coffee hot chocolate that was supposed to be made with soya milk, an inquest has been told.

Hannah Jacobs from Barking, east London, who had been allergic to dairy products, died within hours of sipping the drink on 8 February 2022, East London Coroner’s Court heard.

Her mother Abimbola Duyile, who ordered the drink, said her “anger gave way to terror” after her child’s reaction to the drink.

The inquest is due to last six days.

In a statement to the inquest, Ms Duyile said her daughter “could have achieved so much in this world”.

She said: “I will always remember her as a happy child, I loved my child so much and my heart is broken.”

The mother and daughter visited the Costa Coffee branch in Station Parade, Barking, which is owned and operated by a franchisee.

Ms Duyile ordered two takeaway soya hot chocolates, before taking Hannah to a dental appointment.

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”.

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.”

Hannah took her first sip of the drink when she was at the dentist, which was a short walk away.

Ms Duyile recalled 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”.

Hannah collapsed in the chemist and the pharmacist gave her an an EpiPen injection in her leg, the inquest heard.

Attempts to resuscitate her were started and a customer called an ambulance. Paramedics soon arrived and continued resuscitation efforts.

Hannah was taken to hospital where she was declared dead by 13:00 GMT, according to her family’s lawyers.

She said her daughter had followed a policy of complete avoidance of milk, eggs, wheat and fish, never ate at a friend’s house and would only eat at “known and trusted” restaurants.

Ms Duyile paid tribute to her Hannah’s selfless nature, saying she would clean house without asking and looked after her sister.

“She was allergic to eggs but put on latex gloves to cook some for me at my birthday as a surprise,” she said.

She said her daughter “had a strong sense of right and wrong, if she thought something was unfair she would speak her mind no matter what”.

“She would have made a great lawyer,” she added.