The mother of a nine-year-old girl who died from an asthma attack is calling for an investigation into whether air pollution contributed to her death. Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, from Hither Green in south-east London, wants the attorney general to order a second inquest or an independent inquiry into the death of her daughter Ella in February 2013.
Through her lawyer, Jocelyn Cockburn, Kissi-Debrah argues that the government may be in breach of its duty of care under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act. Cockburn stated: 'There are strong grounds to believe that our government may be in breach of its duty to protect life in Ella’s case.' The family also seeks immediate action to reduce toxic air exposure for children, including Ella's brother Robert.
Ella, a pupil at Holbeach Primary School in Lewisham, died suddenly after suffering seizures following coughing fits. The original coroner ruled her death was due to a severe asthma attack, but the inquest did not identify the cause of her asthma. Cockburn noted that air pollution was overlooked in both the inquest and the child death review by Lewisham Council.
London currently ranks 15th out of 36 world cities for air pollution, with nearly 10,000 premature deaths annually attributed to polluted air. The city has been in breach of EU air quality limits since 2010. Mayor Sadiq Khan has expressed condolences and pledged to tackle air quality, launching a consultation on extending the ultra-low emission zone.
If air pollution is proven to have played a significant role in Ella's death, it could lead to compensation claims and legal challenges against government bodies. Cockburn emphasised that ample evidence shows air pollution poses a real and immediate risk to life, requiring reasonable steps to protect individuals.
