December 2019. A fresh inquest into the death of a nine-year-old girl who suffered a fatal asthma attack will examine the role of the government as it looks at whether air pollution caused or contributed to her death. Ella Kissi-Debrah died in February 2013 after three years of seizures and 27 visits to hospital for breathing problems. An inquest in 2014, which focused on Ella’s medical care and ruled she died of “acute respiratory failure”, was quashed by high court judges in light of new evidence regarding air pollution levels. A provisional ruling was made at Southwark coroners court for it to be a “full” inquest under article 2 – the right to life – of the Human Rights Act, which scrutinises the role of public bodies in a person’s death. Assistant coroner Philip Barlow told the court “it seems to me that article 2 is engaged,” but said it was subject to any further submissions he received from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport. Transport for London and the London mayor’s office are also interested parties in the proceedings.
Dec 2019. UK Inquest on London Air Pollution
