Inquest starts into allergy death of five-year-old

An inquest has begun into the circumstances surrounding the death of a five-year-old who died after an allergic reaction at school.

Benedict Blythe collapsed at Barnack Primary School, between Stamford and Peterborough, in December 2021.

He had asthma and a number of allergies, including to milk and eggs. He died due to food-induced anaphylaxis, the inquest heard.

Benedict's mother Helen, 37, said he was a "kind and beautiful soul" who had told her his superpower was "helping his little sister to open the door because she couldn't reach".

Area coroner Elizabeth Gray told the inquest at Peterborough Town Hall that Benedict, from Stamford, had been kept off school on 30 November due to being sick twice the night before.

He went back to school on 1 December after Mrs Blythe said he "was fine and didn't appear to be unwell".

The inquest heard that while he was outside with other children during the morning break, Benedict had some biscuits he had taken with him from home.

He then returned to the classroom where he was offered oat milk by his class teacher but he was said to have refused it.

He was sick shortly after that, and his parents were asked to collect him from school at about 10:30 GMT.

Benedict was sick again after a teacher cleaned him up and while he was reading a book with him.

He was taken outside to get some fresh air while his parents were contacted again before he collapsed and was carried back to a classroom.

An adrenaline auto-injector was administered and CPR was started, the inquest heard.

Mrs Blythe said Benedict's father Pete was there by about 10:40 GMT and she arrived at 10:57 GMT.

Emergency services attended and carried out further CPR before Benedict was taken to Peterborough City Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:57 GMT.

Mrs Blythe said Benedict was "well aware of his allergies" and a document had been given to the school which contained information on his allergies, his asthma and the reactions he had experienced.

She said vomiting was the "first sign" of an allergic reaction, and "how it played [out] after that varied".

Before he started at Barnack Primary, Mrs Blythe said she had gone on two tours of the school and was "reassured by the level of care offered" and "satisfied the school would be able to cope with his allergies".

Reading an emotional pen-portrait to the jury, Mrs Blythe said Benedict had the "grown-up curiosity of a child who had just started school but still had baby dimples on the knuckles of his hands".

She said he was "completely captivated by trains" and loved his little sister Etta, whom he "protected and admired, and [he] always wanted to be where she was".

She added: "It was after he died that we realised how much he cared for others – messages from parents of his friends told stories of the time he'd help a child who was struggling on the balance beam, or where he spent a lunchtime hunting down a child's lost scooter."

The inquest continues.

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