Murder quiz for pupil after boy is killed by his allergy to cheese
A BOY died from a reaction to cheese allegedly forced on him by a fellow pupil.
Karanbir Cheema, 13, went into shock during the breaktime incident at school.
Detectives have arrested a fellow pupil on suspicion of attempted murder. It is feared that bullies deliberately targeted Karanbir, who had a number of allergies.
Desperate teachers called his mother Rina, but by the time she arrived at school, he had stopped breathing. Paramedics took Karanbir to Great Ormond Street Hospital where he died on Sunday after ten days in intensive care.
Miss Cheema, 51, said: ‘We don’t know much but there has been some suggestion cheese was flicked on his neck. But the doctors told me that he would have had to ingest the allergen to go into anaphylactic shock. It could not have happened just by touching the skin.
‘Karan was very disciplined with managing his allergies. He made his own lunch and was very, very careful. He knew how serious his allergies were and there is no way he would have taken something that could make him ill. He read everything on food labels and knew what he could have in restaurants.
‘I just want to know how this could have happened. I won’t stop until I get justice for my son.’
The single mother said the school – William Perkin C of E High in Greenford, west London, knew of Karanbir’s allergies and had a detailed care plan. She added: ‘I was with him when he passed and he smiled in his last moment. He was an angel and I never wanted to let him go. He was my only child and now I’m empty. He was the kindest most selfless boy you could meet.
‘He was always helping others and his best friend was his granddad. He didn’t let his allergies get to him, he loved life.’
Miss Cheema, who is an accounts worker, said schools must do more to ensure pupils with allergies were safe. ‘As you can see it can cost someone their life. There needs to be more educational,’ she added. Karanbir, a gifted mathematician and footballer, had his own fridge and microwave to help him deal with his severe allergies.
On the day he was taken sick at school – June 28 – a fellow pupil tweeted: ‘How can two idiots in my school stuff cheese down someone’s throat knowing that they’re allergic to it, where’s the logic?’
Other students claimed a piece of cheese sandwich had been flicked at Karanbir’s face by bullies or put down his shirt.
His father Amarjeet, who separated from his mother when he was a baby, said he was worried that bullying led to the tragedy.
But the school said in a statement: ‘The student in question was a happy and successful child, who was well-integrated into the year group and well-liked by his peers.
‘The student in question had regular supportive contact with pastoral and first aid staff over his medical condition and if there had been a pattern of bullying behaviour this would certainly have been picked up and dealt with.’
Executive headteacher Dame Alice Hudson added: ‘This has been a tragic one- off event which has caused terrible distress.’
The 13-year-old who was arrested has been released on bail.
A very severe allergic reaction is known as an anaphylactic shock. It causes swelling of the mouth and throat, breathing difficulties, problems swallowing and unconsciousness. Common triggers include peanuts, dairy foods, bee stings, latex and medicines such as antibiotics or aspirin.