Talented teenage hockey player killed by allergic reaction to cinema popcorn

A TEENAGE ice hockey player died from an allergic reaction to popcorn after visiting the cinema with his mother.

Ruben Bousquet, 14, received CPR from his mother, Judith, after she rushed home with him to get his Epipen – but to no avail.

The grieving mother told Southwark Coroner’s Court that her son could not even talk and she could see him “struggling”. Ruben was allergic to milk, raw egg and soya and it is thought that he suffered a reaction to the popcorn after the visit to the Odeon BFI Imax cinema in Waterloo, central London.

Ms Bousquet told the court: “[We left] as soon as Ruben said ‘I don’t feel too well’ ... at that point he wasn’t laboured, feeling or showing signs of great stress. It was only until we were literally two to three minutes away he started pulling at his clothes, saying: ‘We need to get home as soon as possible’.”

Ruben was taken to hospital but he passed away at 7.25pm on April 18 last year, the inquest heard.

His mother described how the family always used to visit the cinema regularly since the children were young.

She said: “We always requested the same sweet popcorn... on this occasion we didn’t feel it was necessary to raise the issue about allergies.”

Allergy consultant, Dr Susan Chan, told the inquest that cow’s milk was one of the most common allergies for children in the United Kingdom.

Ruben’s ice hockey team, London Knightz SHC, posted a tribute to him on Facebook: “There are no words for such a huge loss to the world, our club, his family and friends.”

The inquest continues.