Student Kayleen Brown, 14, dies from allergic reaction after ‘being told treat at school was nut-free’

A HIGH school student died after eating a dessert that staff wrongly said was nut-free, a new lawsuit has claimed.

Kayleen Brown, 17, suffered a cardiac arrest and fell into a coma after eating the pastry at a school function.

Kayleen Brown in a green dress.
Teen Kayleen Brown died after eating a school dessert that contained nutsCredit: Instagram
Atlantic Coast High School sign.
Her father says staff at Atlantic Coast High School didn’t warn herCredit: Google Maps

The teenager, who suffered from a nut allergy, had asked staff at her school in Jacksonville, Florida if the baklava being served contained any nuts.

Baklava is a traditional dessert from Turkey and much of the Middle East and Southeast Europe, normally made of filo pastry, syrup, and chopped nuts.

Brown was told by Atlantic Coast High School staff in Duval County that it did not.

However, it turned out the pastry contained pistachio nuts.

Brown quickly began showing signs of her allergy, according to the lawsuit filed by her father.

“She experienced anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest,” the lawsuit reads.

“She fell into a coma and was declared dead on April 30, 2023.”

Steven Brown, the teen’s father, says the school knew about the teen’s nut allergy.

The lawsuit also accuses school officials of not acting quickly enough after Brown started to “exhibit symptoms associated with her food allergy.”

According to the lawsuit, a school nurse reportedly didn’t see her, and officials didn’t contact emergency responders.

My son texted me a picture of a snack he was enjoying… then his phone went silent – he’ll never be the same again

Brown went to a local pharmacy to pick up some Benadryl, but her symptoms soon worsened.

Her father is suing Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) for $50,000 for negligence.

The lawsuit claims the teenager died as a “direct and proximate result” of the DCPS’ negligence.

It also demands a jury trial against the DCPS.

The defendant, DCPS, had a responsibility to take care of its students, including Kayleen Brown. It was crucial for them to make sure that any food identified as allergen-free or requested to be prepared without allergens was truly safe from substances that could potentially lead to death or severe harm among the students, as mentioned in the complaint.

In her obituary, it is mentioned that Kayleen Brown had aspirations to begin her first job post-graduation, followed by her plans to attend Florida State College at Jacksonville and later the University of Central Florida.

She was looking forward to spending the summer with her friends.

SCHOOL DISTRICT’S FULL STATEMENT

FOLLOWING the announcement of the lawsuit, the Duval County School Board released the following statement:

“We are very sorry to hear about the tragic passing of this young person, and our sympathies go out to the family.

“Because this matter appears to involve pending litigation, any district response will come within the context of the judicial proceedings.”

Steven Brown says that he hopes the loss of his daughter will help save others from a similar fate.

“My immediate thing was, ‘Why did she leave school?'” he said in an interview with News4JAX.

“‘Or why was she allowed to leave school if the teacher was aware that she was having an allergic reaction?’

“My first thing would be, ‘Why wasn’t 911 called?'”

You May Also Like

Award-winning Teacher Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Young Students following Discovery of Love Letters by Mother

A DISGRACED “Teacher of the Year” has been locked up for 30…

Tourists in a popular Spanish vacation destination advised to remain indoors due to a chemical plant fire causing a toxic cloud in the air

Tourists visiting several Spanish beach destinations were advised to remain indoors due…

Harry Kane Wins First Trophy of His Career with Bayern Munich in Bundesliga Triumph

England captain Harry Kane has finally lifted the first trophy of his…

MP suggests tough consequences for individuals stealing workers’ tools

THIEVES who nick tradesmen’s tools should face harsher penalties, a Tory MP…

Meghan Markle enjoys dancing at Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour in Los Angeles, while Prince Harry looks out of place in a cowboy hat.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were seen dancing at the fifth night…

New spy unit called ‘KGB 2.0’ created by Putin causing chaos in the West during Trump peace negotiations

RUSSIA has unleashed a shadowy new spy unit tasked with sabotage, cyber…

89-year-old man and his dog fatally attacked by a black bear in Florida as laboratory workers find horrifying scene

Tragedy struck in southwest Florida when an 89-year-old man and his loyal…

Kim Jong-un’s latest powerful warship, equipped with nuclear weapons, is unable to move on its own and needs to be towed by tugboats

DICTATOR Kim Jong Un’s terrifying naval destroyer that could potentially fire nuclear…

Tom Cruise talks about Nicole Kidman and Ana de Armas spotted alone after their vacation.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have been divorced for more than two…

Ban on visas for foreign care workers in extensive crackdown, as Starmer prepares to reveal long-awaited plan for immigration

FOREIGN care workers will be banned from getting visas under a sweeping…

People from Otley participate in a 19-pub bar crawl despite the hot weather in Britain as hot as Ibiza.

Dedicated Brits braved a mini-heatwave to go on the famous Otley Run…

Brother reveals Pope Leo pretended to be a priest as a child using an ironing board as an altar and cookies as communion wafers

POPE LEO XIV played at being a priest as a child and…