Statement regarding the inquest of Muhammed Musa Akbar

Derby Coroner’s Court has ended the inquest into the death of Muhammed Musa Akbar, (known as Musa) a 12-year-old boy who died on 15 January 2019 after suffering a suspected severe allergic reaction whilst at a football birthday party at Powerleague in Derby.

The court was told Musa had a history of asthma and a number of food allergies including to chickpeas and legumes but had eaten similar food before with no issues. The inquest found that no blame could be attributed to Powerleague or the takeaway who provided food for the party as it was not possible to identify the food that triggered the reaction, and neither business had been notified of Musa’s allergies.

The inquest found that the medical and nursing staff who treated Musa in hospital had done everything they could to save him but he tragically died three days later in hospital. This was found to be as a result of brain oxygen starvation caused by cardiac arrest, which was in turn caused by anaphylaxis.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Muhammed.

There will not be a Prevention of Future Deaths report.

The role of the coroner and purpose of an inquest

We wish to make it clear that the Anaphylaxis Campaign are not legal experts.

A coroner is appointed by a local authority and investigates deaths reported to them to find out who has died and how, when, and where they died. An inquest is a public court hearing held by the coroner to discover the facts about the circumstances of someone’s death. There are a very limited number of specific legal terms used to record cause of death. The coroner decides who should be called to give evidence as a witness. If a witness lives in England or Wales, they must attend if they are asked; if they live abroad, they do not have to attend.

An inquest is different from other types of court hearing because there is no prosecution or defence. The purpose of an inquest is to establish the relevant facts and cannot blame someone for someone’s death. The coroner or jury cannot find a person or organisation criminally responsible for someone’s death. For legal reasons, therefore, we cannot comment on certain aspects of any inquest. The Ministry of Justice has produced a booklet called a ‘Guide to Coroner Services’ and if you are interested in the coronial process, you may find it helpful to read: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-coroner-services-and-coroner-investigations-a-short-guide.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign would like to reinforce the following advice;

In an emergency call 999, ask for an ambulance and say anaphylaxis (pronounced as ‘anna-fill-axis’). For more information on what to do in an emergency, please visit our What to do in an Emergency page.

Our online e-learning courses for individuals, families and schools are available free and are the easiest way to learn about anaphylaxis, the risks of severe allergies and how to manage them. Find out more here.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Helpline on 01252 542029 or email info@anaphylaxis.org.uk