British girl with nut allergy dies after family dinner at pizza restaurant in Rome

A British girl has tragically died after suffering a suspected allergic reaction to peanuts while on holiday in Rome.

Officials from the British Foreign Office confirmed they were in contact with local authorities, who have reportedly opened a manslaughter investigation.

According to The Times, the 14-year-old from Kent had been on holiday in Rome with family, who went to a pizzeria in the Gianicolense district for dinner on their first evening.

Shortly after returning to their nearby B&B, she fell ill and an ambulance was called, arriving within a matter of minutes.

The ambulance crew tried to resuscitate her with a defibrillator, but by the time she arrived at San Camillo hospital a few miles away, it was too late to save her.

She died while on holiday in Rome, Italy (Sean Pavone/Getty Images)

The Times reports that, while a post-mortem is yet to be completed, doctors at the hospital believe she died of anaphylaxis, amid claims that she had eaten a baklava dessert.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement: "We are supporting the family of a British child who has died in Italy and are in contact with local authorities."

Last year, a 13-year-old girl called Hannah Jacobs died after suffering an allergic reaction from a Costa Coffee drink, having passed away on 8 February 2023.

Mum Abimbola Duyile had ordered the teenager - who was allergic to dairy - and herself a soya hot chocolate from their local Costa Coffee branch in Barking, East London when the tragedy struck.

When Jacobs became unwell a short time later after taking one sip of the drink, Duyile shouted: "That is not soya milk."

An inquest at East London Coroner’s Court earlier this year ruled that Jacobs had died following a 'failure to follow the processes in place to discuss allergies' as well as a 'failure of communication' between staff and her mother.

Anaphylaxis can be caused by a number of factors, including food, medicine and insect stings (Thanasis/Getty Images)

Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that can be a life-threatening, and can be caused by a number of factors, including food, medicine and insect stings.

The NHS warns that symptoms of anaphylaxis happen ‘very quickly’, usually within minutes of coming into contact with something you are allergic to.

You are advised to call 999 immediately if:

• your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
• your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
• your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• someone faints and cannot be woken up
• a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

There may also be a rash that’s ‘swollen, raised or itchy’.

“These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital,” the NHS adds.

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