A 12-year-old girl tragically passed away after she drank a smoothie that was made in an unwashed blender.
Mia St Hilaire suffered a fatal allergic reaction in August 2023 after drinking a milkshake from the Pop Inn Café on Southwark Park Road, London, per BBC News.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, the young girl could not be saved.
Investigations by Southwark Council revealed that the café operator, Baris Yucel, failed to clean the blender before preparing Mia’s drink.
Traces of hazelnuts or almonds from a previous order are believed to have triggered her fatal anaphylactic shock.
Southwark Council argued that Mia’s death could have been prevented if proper food safety measures had been followed.
CCTV footage confirmed that the blender was not cleaned, a critical oversight that led to the contamination of Mia’s drink.
In December 2023, Yucel, 47, pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court to six charges, including serving food containing an allergic ingredient, failing to display allergen information, and neglecting to address cross-contamination risks.
On Friday, January 24, he was fined £18,000 (approximately $22,000) and sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
In a heartfelt statement per Your Local Guardian, Mia’s parents, Adrian and Chanel, expressed their grief: “We think of Mia every day and knowing her death could potentially have been prevented so simply, only adds to how heartbroken we are as a family.
“We hope this conviction and fine sends a loud message to businesses serving food and drinks across the country, of the devastating consequences of failing to take food safety seriously.”
The family’s attorney, Michelle Victor, emphasized the dire consequences of non-compliance with food safety protocols.
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Meanwhile, the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, a UK food allergy charity, condemned the incident as preventable, writing on Instagram: “This is yet another death of a young person from a food allergy that should never have happened.
“We have met Mia’s parents on several occasions, and our hearts are absolutely broken for them and their terrible loss.”
The foundation added that allergen safety rules are essential, stating: “Food allergies are not a choice or preference, but a serious medical condition that can for some be fatal.
“How many more people must be hospitalized or die before all food operators realize these rules are not an optional extra, but essential for keeping their customers safe?”
While the café has since been granted a five-star Food Hygiene Rating on two occasions, the local authority continues to monitor its operations.
A lawyer for Yucel stated that the businessman has shown “genuine remorse,” adding that “a day does not go by” when Yucel does not think of Mia or her family.
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