Allergy girl died at party after host wouldn’t give her address for 999 call
A BRIGHT and bubbly teenage girl collapsed and died from a severe asthma attack after she suffered an allergic reaction to dogs at a party, an inquest heard.
Kiana Owen, 17, had tried to call an ambulance but the host, who was pregnant, would not give her the address as she feared paramedics may have informed social services.
The coroner was told that if emergency services had arrived at the point she called for help the teenager would “probably have survived”.
Kiana had been celebrating a friend’s 18th birthday when she started struggling to breathe.
She went into the garden and called an ambulance at 1.18am, but was unaware of the address.
An inquest at Newcastle upon Tyne heard that Kiana had desperately asked the couple who lived at the house for the exact address.
She then wandered into a back lane behind the garden where she fell unconscious and started to fit.
After eventually discovering her location from other partygoers, paramedics arrived at 1.38am to find Kiana in cardiac arrest. She was rushed to the city’s Royal Victoria Infirmary but could not be revived.
Chest physician Dr Samuel Stenton said Kiana’s attack was so severe it would have been “irredeemable” within six minutes of her making the 999 call.
He said: “At some point it would have been treatable but it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly the time.
“If the ambulance had arrived at house before or met homeowners Lewis Collins and Kimberley Heston.
Shortly after arriving she complained of feeling unwell and went outside for some fresh air.
Ms Heston said: “I heard her shouting outside and I remember saying, ‘Would you please leave the garden?’ – I was pregnant and I didn’t want social services coming round. That’s why I didn’t want to give my address.
“I didn’t know she was on the phone to the ambulance.
“I didn’t know it was that bad until later when everyone went outside and she was in the alley on the floor.”
Detective Sergeant Kimberley Flynn said of the phone call: “Background noise can be heard that indicates the occupants are aware that she is asking.”
Police had considered whether a criminal offence had been committed but were advised the couple had “no duty of care” to the teenager.
Recording a conclusion of death by natural causes, coroner Karen Dilks said: “Some of the civilian witnesses can learn from this experience.”
Kiana’s mum Stephanie said: “She was bubbly and a real go-getter.
“If she set her mind to something, she would do it.”