Dairy allergy boy died after 'bully flicked cheese at him'
A BOY of 13 died from an allergic reaction to dairy produce after a fellow pupil chased him with cheese and "threw it down his T--shirt", an inquest heard yesterday. Karan Cheema was allergic to wheat, gluten, all dairy products, nuts and eggs, was asthmatic and had atopic eczema.
He suffered the fatal reaction at William Perkin Church of England high school in Greenford, west London, on June 28 last year.
Despite teachers using Karan's personal drugs which he carried with him, he was unconscious throughout the time paramedics battled to save his life, St Pancras coroner's court in London heard yesterday.
Karan died at Great Ormond Street hospital 10 days later.
A boy, also 13 at the time, was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but he has not been charged. He is no longer at the school.
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We want answers. I am devastated as a mother after losing my son - my family have lost their brother. He was a very bright young boy. He was so bright he could have been anything he wanted.
Karan's mother Rina Cheema, 52, an accountant, his two brothers and sister were at the short hearing yesterday, held ahead of a full inquest.
Ms Cheema said: "We want answers. I am devastated as a mother after losing my son - my family have lost their brother. He was a very bright young boy. He was so bright he could have been anything he wanted.
"I brought him up by myself. I trained him to read all about his condition."
Another family member, who did not wish to be named, said: "I've never met anyone like him in my life. He would have done anything for anyone. He could have been anything.
"He loved taking things apart and putting them back together. He was an extraordinary child. He knew very well how to manage his condition."
Earlier, during a short hearing to take evidence from one witness ahead of a full hearing, the family heard how a 999 operator told paramedics it was "just an allergic reaction".
But when they arrived Karan was "gasping for air" and had broken out in hives.
Kierin Oppatt told senior coroner Mary Hassell the boy was unconscious and had stopped breathing shortly after he and a colleague arrived, seven minutes after the emergency call.
Mr Oppatt said: "The call came in as just an allergic reaction. On arrival at the scene I immediately knew it was life--threatening and that the patient had a high risk of going into cardiac and respiratory arrest.
"We were told by school staff that perhaps someone had chased the patient with cheese and had proceeded to throw it down his T--shirt.
"When we arrived we saw Karan lying on his back on the floor with teachers around him.
"He had very slow respiration - he was gasping for air. His skin was red and there appeared to be hives."
Outside court, Detective Sergeant Christian Rodgers said: "It was pupil on pupil."
