12-Year-Old Mia Shay St Hilaire Died After Drinking Contaminated Milkshake at London Café, Inquest Finds

LONDON, ENGLAND — A coroner has concluded that 12-year-old Mia Shay St Hilaire died after drinking a milkshake contaminated with hazelnut residue left inside an unwashed blender at a London café, highlighting how a preventable food-safety failure can have devastating consequences.

Mia, who had a known hazelnut allergy, visited the Pop Inn Café in Bermondsey with her aunt and sister on August 28, 2023. She ordered a Twix milkshake, unaware that the blender had previously been used to prepare a Kinder Bueno milkshake containing hazelnuts.

During an inquest at Inner South London Coroner’s Court, Assistant Coroner Briony Ballard concluded that the drink had been cross-contaminated with hazelnut residue from the earlier order. CCTV evidence showed café operator Baris Yucel preparing Mia’s drink without first cleaning the blender.

Two Sips Before a Medical Emergency

Mia reportedly took about two sips before becoming concerned that the drink contained nuts. She alerted her aunt, telling her that she believed there were nuts in the milkshake.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly. She developed anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can cause breathing difficulties, swelling, a dangerous drop in blood pressure and cardiac arrest.

Mia later collapsed at her aunt’s home. Emergency responders provided treatment before she was taken to hospital and transferred to the intensive care unit at Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Despite extensive efforts to save her, she died on August 30, 2023, two days after visiting the café.

Following Mia’s death, Southwark Council investigated the café’s food-handling practices. Investigators identified failures involving allergen information and the prevention of cross-contamination.

In January 2025, Yucel pleaded guilty to six food-safety offences. He was fined £18,000 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. The council said its food-safety team subsequently checked that measures intended to prevent a recurrence had been introduced.

Parents Call for Stronger Allergy Protection

Mia’s parents, Adrian St Hilaire and Chanel Spence, described their daughter as a much-loved child whose personality brought happiness to those around her. They said they were grateful that the inquest had carefully examined what happened and emphasized that Mia would never be forgotten.

The family is calling for a separate allergy-management rating system for restaurants and other food businesses. They argue that existing food-hygiene ratings do not adequately tell customers how effectively a business manages allergens and prevents dangerous contamination.

Their campaign aims to make it easier for people with allergies and their families to assess the risks before ordering food or drinks.

How Could the Tragedy Have Been Prevented?

The evidence presented at the inquest points to a straightforward but critical failure: the blender was not cleaned between preparing drinks, allowing hazelnut residue to contaminate Mia’s milkshake.

Thorough cleaning of equipment, effective separation of allergenic ingredients, accurate allergen information and properly trained staff are essential safeguards in food preparation. Even a small amount of an allergen can trigger a severe reaction in someone who is highly allergic.

Mia’s death is a devastating reminder that food safety involves more than general cleanliness. Businesses must take allergen risks seriously every time they prepare an order.

For her parents, the hope is that the investigation and their continued advocacy will lead to meaningful changes that protect other children and families from a similar tragedy.

The inquest’s findings and the earlier court proceedings have established serious failures in allergen management. The family’s campaign for a dedicated allergy rating system is now part of the wider call for stronger protection for people with food allergies.