Teen with severe dairy allergy dies after classmates stuffs cheese down his shirt

A schoolboy with a severe allergy to dairy died after he was "chased with cheese and had it thrown down his T-shirt" at his school, an inquest heard.
13-year-old Karanbir Cheema, known as Karan, was severely allergic to wheat, gluten, all dairy products, eggs and all nuts, and was also asthmatic and suffered from atopic eczema. Students who went to school with him at William Perkin Church of England High School in Greenford knew about his condition.
Karan suffered a serious allergic reaction in Greenford, West London, just before midday on June 28 last year when a fellow student, who was aware of his condition, chased him with cheese and threw it down his T-shirt.

He went into anaphylactic shock at school at about 11.30am. He was unconscious throughout the time paramedics battled to save his life, St Pancras Coroners' Court heard. Karan died in hospital ten days after the incident. He died with his parents by his hospital bed in Great Ormond Street Hospital on July 9.

A schoolboy, also 13 at the time, was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but has not been charged.

Yesterday, the inquest heard from paramedic Kierin Oppatt in advance of a full inquest which he cannot attend. Mr Oppatt told the hearing that the 999 operator was told it was "just an allergic reaction" but when he arrived Karan was "gasping for air" and had broken out in hives. The young boy was unconscious and stopped breathing shortly after Mr Oppatt and his colleague arrived.

The coroner was told the fatal incident had been "pupil on pupil" and that the other student had since been removed from the school.