NewsA student dies from an allergic reaction at a restaurant in Morocco

A student dies from an allergic reaction at a restaurant in Morocco

A fatal mistake by the restaurant. 18-year-old Lily died in front of her mother
A fatal mistake by the restaurant. 18-year-old Lily died in front of her mother
Images source: © gofundme

7 August 2024 12:17

It was supposed to be a beautiful time. Eighteen-year-old University of Exeter student Lily King was on holiday in Morocco, celebrating her first-year exam results. No one anticipated that she would spend her last moments of life there. The teenager died after eating a meal that triggered a severe allergic reaction.

During the final night of their stay in Rabat, Lily and her mother, Aicha, decided to have dinner at a nearby restaurant. They had visited the place before and were confident that the meals would be safe for Lily, who suffered from numerous food allergies. Aicha, fluent in Arabic, clearly informed the restaurant staff about her daughter's dairy, fish, shellfish, sesame, and nuts allergies.

Unfortunately, after eating chicken with chips, Lily began to experience symptoms of an allergic reaction. Although she tried to alleviate the symptoms with an adrenaline injection, the panic and sluggishness of the staff, who refused to let her mother leave without settling the bill, caused a delay in getting medical assistance. This might have been decisive for Lily's fate.

Despite her mother's rescue attempts, Lily died on the way to the hospital due to a heart attack.

"She told me 'I love you, goodbye' and then passed away," recalled a heartbroken Aicha, quoted by "The Sun".

Lily's family is devastated

Lily's family is devastated and is demanding justice and explanations from Moroccan authorities. What killed the teenager? It is unknown. Two post-mortems conducted in Morocco and England have not answered this question. The family fears they may never know the truth about the cause of the eighteen-year-old's death.

Although an investigation into the restaurant has been initiated, the family has yet to be informed of its progress.

The family has set up a fundraiser

In tribute to Lily, her family has established a fundraising page to support people suffering from allergies. The description highlighted how allergies impacted the late teenager's life and hindered her daily functioning.

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