10:47, Tue, Oct 29, 2024 | UPDATED: 11:52, Tue, Oct 29, 2024
The girl died on holiday in Rome with her parents (Image: Getty)
A British teenager has tragically died on holiday in Rome after suffering an anaphylactic shock.
The youngster, aged just 14, had recently touched down in the Italian capital for a week-long holiday with her parents when the tragedy unfolded.
The family had dined on a few pizza slices, drinks and dessert on the evening of October 24th, but shortly after leaving the restaurant in the Gianicolense district, the girl, who had a severe peanut allergy, began to experience symptoms of an anaphylactic shock.
Minutes after arriving at their accommodation, the girl was barely able to breathe.
Paramedics descended on the scene and rushed the girl to hospital, but she was tragically pronounced dead on arrival.
The family's week long holiday ended in tragedy just hours after touching down (Image: Getty)
Italian prosecutors and health officials have now launched a manslaughter investigation, to ascertain the cause of the allergic reaction and if restaurant operators may be culpable.
Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported suspicions the reaction may have been triggered by a packaged dessert.
The probe is reportedly focused on whether peanuts or traces of peanuts were present in the dessert and, if so, whether the restaurant failed to take the necessary precautions after being informed of the girl's allergy.
It is not clear whether the restaurant staff had been made aware of her allergy on this occasion.
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The family have said that the girl was extremely vigilant about her condition, and would check food labels and typically inform restaurants of her allergy.
It is also unclear whether or not the teenager had access to an EpiPen, a device that is used to lessen the impact of a severe reaction.
The family have now returned to England and is awaiting the results of forensic tests, which will determine when her body can be repatriated.
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English (US) · 