A 12-year-old girl from the UK has died after a milkshake from a cafe triggered a severe allergic reaction.
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Per a report by Unilad, the incident took place at the Pop Inn Cafe on Southwark Park Road in East London in August 2023. After a lengthy investigation, authorities sentenced the Cafe Operator, Baris Yucel, 47, on January 24.
The outlet explains that Mia St Hilaire, 12, ordered a milkshake at the London cafe. However, she fell ill shortly after drinking the beverage. Emergency services rushed Hilaire to a nearby hospital, but doctors were unable to save her.
According to Mia's parents, the 12-year-old had a 'tree nut' allergy. At the time, Southwark Council believed the drink from Pop Inn Cafe may have contained traces of hazelnuts or Almonds. However, CCTV footage paints a different picture of the events.
An Unwashed Blender Likely Caused The 12-Year-Old's Reaction
The BBC reports that the Southwark Council's food safety team provided video evidence to the investigation. The footage allegedly shows Yucel preparing Mia's drink in an unwashed blender. There were substances in the blender from the previous milkshake, which could have triggered the child's allergies.
According to the BBC, Southwark Council argues that this negligence caused Mia to have an allergic reaction and that her death was ultimately avoidable. The outlet concludes that an inquiry into Mia's death will take place in the future.
Unilad reports that Yucel pleaded guilty to multiple charges in December last year. At a hearing in Croydon Magistrates Court, Yucel pleaded guilty to serving food that contained an allergic ingredient, a lack of allergen signage or information visible to customers, and a failure to identify cross-contamination risks of allergenic ingredients.
Yucel was not ordered to serve jail time but was fined £18,000. He must also work 100 hours of community service. Adrian and Chanel St Hilaire, Mia's parents, say she is in their thoughts every day, but they are heartbroken. "Knowing her death could potentially have been prevented so simply only adds to how heartbroken we are as a family."
Unilad also reports that Yucel's lawyer said the cafe operator has 'shown genuine remorse' and a day does not go by when he doesn't think about Mia or her family.
