The parents of a 12-year-old girl who died after drinking a milkshake suspected to have been contaminated with nuts told an inquest that “her life was cut short due to the failings of others”. Mia Shay St Hilaire, from Sydenham, had a nut allergy and suffered cardiac arrests after visiting Pop Inn Café in Bermondsey with her aunt and sister in August 2023.
Inquest hears of final moments
Mia took two sips of a Twix milkshake before telling her aunt, “this has nuts in”, Inner South London Coroner's Court heard. CCTV showed café owner Baris Yucel using the blender to make a Kinder Bueno milkshake containing hazelnuts minutes earlier without washing it between uses. The inquest began on Monday with Adrian St Hilaire and Chanel Spence telling the court about their daughter.
Adrian said: “There are not enough words to truly portray our beautiful daughter, Mia. We were blessed with twelve precious years with her; twelve years filled with love, laughter and joy. We cried tears of happiness when she came into the world and now we struggle to navigate a world without her as parents who have lost a child in the most unimaginable of circumstances. The anguish, pain and anger have, at times, been overwhelming. It is something that no family should ever have to endure.”
Parents remember a 'quirky' girl
They described their daughter as quirky, full of personality and blessed with an incredible sense of humour. She loved music and dreamed of exploring the world, while already learning Mandarin, Latin and French. Chanel said: “It is with profound sadness that we have to accept that we will never have the opportunity to watch Mia flourish into the remarkable young woman she was destined to become. We will never see her reach the milestones that lay ahead of her, pursue her dreams, or fulfil her enormous potential. Instead, we are left with memories of what was, rather than the future that should have been, as her life was cut short due to the failings of others. As her parents we will always have her memory, her spirit and the love she brought into our lives which will remain with us forever.”
Café owner's statement read to court
Mr Yucel's statement to police was read out at the inquest. He said: “When I took the order, the woman never told me that anyone had allergies to anything and I did not ask them. When I made the milkshake I cannot remember whether the blender had been cleaned or not. Our usual policy is to try to clean it after each milkshake but at busy times this is not always possible.”
Mr Yucel was prosecuted by Southwark Council’s food safety team over Mia’s death. He was fined and received a community order after he pleaded guilty to six food safety charges. Assistant Coroner Briony Ballard said the court will examine seven issues: Mia’s diagnosis and allergy management, what happened at Pop Inn Café, the likely allergen, the emergency response, her hospital treatment and whether anyone’s actions or inaction contributed to her death. The inquest continues.
