Inquest concludes 12-year-old Mia Shay St Hilaire died after milkshake made in unwashed blender

Mixed · 2An inquest into the death of 12-year-old Mia Shay St Hilaire has concluded that she died after a severe allergic reaction to a contaminated milkshake. 1 2 Mixed · 2Mia, from Sydenham and with a hazelnut allergy, drank a Twix milkshake at the Pop Inn Cafe on Southwark Park Road, London, in August 2023 while visiting with her aunt and sister. 1 2 Mixed · 2CCTV evidence showed that cafe operator Baris Yucel had not cleaned the blender before making her drink. 1 2

Mixed · 2Assistant coroner Briony Ballard, at London Inner South Coroner's Court, gave a narrative conclusion that the milkshake was cross-contaminated with hazelnut residue from a Kinder Bueno milkshake previously prepared in the same unwashed blender. 1 2 Mixed · 2The coroner said Mia developed rapidly progressing anaphylaxis and later collapsed at her aunt's home; despite extensive emergency treatment and intensive care at the Evelina London Children's Hospital, she died. 1 2 Mixed · 2Southwark Council prosecuted the cafe; in January 2025 it said Mr Yucel had pleaded guilty to all six offences, including failing to make allergen advice available, failing to manage allergen contamination in food production, and serving food containing an allergenic ingredient that should not have been present. He was fined £18,000 and given a 100-hour community order. 1 2

Mixed · 2Mia's parents, Adrian and Chanel, thanked the coroner and called for a separate, clearly displayed allergy-management rating similar to the food hygiene rating, saying hygiene ratings reveal nothing about allergy systems. 1 2 Mixed · 2They said they believe Mia would still be alive if the local authority had ensured the cafe's allergy responsibilities were understood and put into practice. 1 2 Mixed · 2Michelle Victor of Leigh Day, the family's solicitors, said the evidence raised serious concerns about how allergies are managed and monitored in food service, and the family asked the Food Standards Agency and other authorities to review the framework for allergy safety. 1 2

Mixed · 2Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founder of Natasha's Foundation, whose 15-year-old daughter died from a sesame allergy after eating a Pret baguette, said the inquest shows how far there is to go on allergy awareness and regulation, and that allergen rules should matter as much as food hygiene. 1 2