An inquest determined that a British teenager died of an allergic reaction in Mexico after eating a vegetarian burrito containing sesame despite notifying restaurant employees of his condition.
The Coroner’s Court heard that Joe Dobson, 19, from London requested many times in Spanish and English that there be no sesame in the food.
Three bites in, Joe realized the dish contained sesame, but restaurant employees did not appear concerned about his allergy and did not call an ambulance.
Joe, who was vacationing with friends in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, forgot his EpiPen at their condo, but by the time they returned to use it, it was too late.
Joe Dobson was with friends at Playa del Carmen, a coastal resort in Quintana Roo, Mexico (pictured)
The 19-year-inability old’s to breathe worsened, and he lapsed into unconsciousness before passing away on November 1, 2012 at the hospital.
It is the latest in a succession of allergy patients who have been killed by food they have consumed, and their bereaved families are calling for more to be done.
Since their daughter, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, died after eating a Pret a Manger baguette containing sesame in 2016, her parents have advocated for tougher food safety regulations.
They applauded the implementation of “Natasha’s Law” last year, which mandates complete ingredient and allergen labeling on food products.
Natasha Ednan-Laperouse (left) died in 2016 after consuming a Pret a Manger baguette containing sesame, while mother-of-five Celia Mash (right), who had an acute dairy allergy, died in 2017 after consuming a Pret a Manger wrap containing traces of milk.
Families in mourning urge stronger food safety legislation
The 27-year-old eldest daughter of Celia Marsh, Ashleigh Grice, spoke on behalf of her family, stating, “Our mother Celia was our strength, she was the soul of our family.” She was not only our mother, wife, sister, and daughter. She was our mutual best buddy. She was the clan. She was our universe.
We shall forever face the excruciating pain of her loss, which we miss every day.
It has been nearly five years since our mother Celia was sadly and unexpectedly taken from us. She was aware of her severe food allergy.
“Because of this continual dread, my mother was exceedingly cautious about what she ate, often triple-checking labels for dairy.”
“On that horrible day, she relied on the “dairy-free” labeling from Pret a Manger. However, the vegan wrap was tainted with milk protein. The contents were toxic to her, and she passed out in the street.
Celia Marsh, 42, died after consuming a vegan wrap from Pret a Manger that had traces of milk despite her severe dairy sensitivity.
‘There are numerous lessons to be gained from our tragedy to avoid future families from experiencing the same pain:
The shocking lack of testing in the food supply chain for dairy-free and allergen-free goods.
Food companies’ inconsistent use of imprecise labeling terms such as “may contain” and “made in a factory where*”
And the failure of the healthcare system to assist those with life-threatening food allergies
“We firmly support the idea that food-related anaphylaxis be recognized as a reportable disease.” This would be lifesaving.
“As a family, we think that the food industry and government must act immediately.” We need better testing, better labelling, and better healthcare.
“To save other families from bearing the anguish we will always bear.” Enough already!’
At the time of Natasha Ednan-Laperouses’ inquiry, her father Nadim stated, ‘Our beautiful daughter died in a tragedy that should never have occurred, and we think that this inquest has demonstrated that she perished due to weak food labeling rules.’
If Pret A Manger followed the law, then the law was playing Russian roulette with our daughter’s life, we believe.
Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, accompanied by their son Alex, stand outside the West London Coroners Court following the end of the inquest into the death of their 15-year-old daughter, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse.
“It is evident that the current food labeling regulations are not fit for purpose, and it is time to amend the law.
“Natasha’s inquest should serve as a watershed event to bring about significant change and save lives,”
Later, “Natasha’s Law” would be enacted because her parents lobbied for tougher food safety standards. It mandates complete ingredient and allergen labeling for food products.
They also expressed their support for the family of Celia Mash, a mother of five with a severe dairy allergy, who died in 2017 after consuming a Pret a Manger wrap containing traces of milk.
Last Wednesday, Coroner Mark Taylor informed the South London Coroner’s Court in Croydon that Joe was allergic to sesame, eggs, milk, and peanuts.
He further explained that the personnel did not comprehend the gravity of the situation. He stated, “The staff instructed him to consume honey and lemon drinks, which he did to keep them quiet.”
Harriet Preston, a friend of Joe’s, stated in a statement read by Mr. Taylor that she had gone to visit him and that they were sharing an Airbnb.
She declared, “I’ve known Joe for three years. He had never forgotten to celebrate my accomplishments with me, regardless of their size.
I was aware of his medical condition and medication carrying capabilities. I was paying him a visit while he worked there.
“We enjoyed a typical day, lounging on the beach, walking into town, and window shopping.
We chose to dine at a fusion restaurant where they had previously dined. Joe requested a vegetarian burrito without sesame, using the Spanish term.
After placing the order, they communicated to confirm that his food did not contain sesame.
When the dinner arrived, Joe turned it back because he thought it included sesame.
Joe had attempted to convey in elementary English that he would die if he consumed sesame.
But Harriet added, ‘Joe’s dinner again arrived, and I saw him shine his flashlight over it. He took two bites and declared, “No, that’s contaminated.”
He approached the bartenders, who were in disbelief. He was aware of it in his throat. He stated he needed an ambulance, but the staff was hesitant to send one.
The employees did not recognize the gravity of our predicament. There was no basic first aid knowledge or training.
Ryan, a second companion present that evening, reported that Joe had informed the restaurant personnel of his allergies and that they had previously dined there without incident.
In a statement to the court, he stated, “This time, he noticed the burrito seemed different.”
He mailed it back, but it appeared unchanged. He repeatedly stated his allergies. After one to three bites, he sensed that something was amiss. He informed the group.
He was not carrying his EpiPen. As his requests became increasingly intense, he consumed the honey drink.
He entered his residence to retrieve his EpiPen. The taxi driver approached the door in a casual manner, stepping gently. He had no comprehension of the severity.
“By the time we reached the flat, the situation had deteriorated.” Joe headed directly to the elevators. He toppled over.
I hurried upstairs to retrieve the pens, then ran back downstairs. Joe had managed to crawl into the elevator and ascend to our floor, so I took him out of the elevator and retrieved the pens, but they were ineffective.
The coroner explained how a police cruiser transported Joe to the local hospital when he lost consciousness, but doctors were unable to recover him and he died that evening.
Mr. Taylor stated, “It appears like 10-15 minutes passed before the pen could be utilized. I have no evidence to indicate whether or not it would have altered the outcome.
“I suppose there are other variables to consider, including the quantity of sesame and absorbtion parameters.
‘It is quite evident to me that Joe did everything he reasonably could have done to advise the restaurant not to give him sesame-containing food, including checking himself.
“And it is very evident to me that sesame in the restaurant’s meal triggered the allergic reaction.”
Joe unintentionally consumed the sesame-containing dish that produced the deadly reaction.
This should not have occurred to Joe, especially at his age.