Inquest into 'allergy' tragedy

An inquest is finally to be held into the death of a former Wigan student who is alleged to have suffered a fatal alergic reaction.
Shahida ShahidShahida Shahid
Shahida Shahid

Shahida Shahid, who attended Winstanley College, died in hospital on Monday January 12 2015, three days after collapsing outside a restaurant in Manchester City centre.

Inquiries later established Shahida had been out for a meal with friends at Almost Friends at The Great Northern prior to her collapse and may have suffered an allergic reaction to her food.

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Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council’s Environmental Health department launched a joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 18-year-old’s death and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Officers admitted at the time that the inquiry could be a “protracted” one due to its complexity and the fact that the legislation under which it would be conducted was relatively new.

And it was only confirmed this week that the full inquest will be held on March 1 at Manchester Coroner’s Court.

When it was opened in January 2015 the coroner heard that Shahida informed staff at the restaurant about her food allergies and she was advised her chicken dish would be appropriate.

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But Det Insp Chris Flint said the dish contained, or was cooked in, one of the ingredients to which she was allergic.

Shahida, who lived in Worsley, suffered from a number of allergies as well as asthma. The hearing was told she began to feel unwell after her meal and, believing it was an allergic reaction, she used her inhaler and epi-pen which gave her an adrenaline shot. But she suffered a heart attack. She died three days later and an autopsy concluded she suffered brain damage from oxygen starvation which was in turn caused by anaphylaxis - a severe allergic reaction.

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