This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

A 13-year-old boy with a dairy allergy died after suffering a severe reaction to a piece of cheese allegedly forced on him, prompting an investigation by the Metropolitan police’s murder team.

Karanbir Cheema was taken to a west London hospital on 28 June after becoming unwell during a school break.

He died on Sunday after 10 days in Great Ormond Street children’s hospital, devastating his family and school friends.

Officers from Ealing borough police were initially called to the school after it “became apparent that an incident had occurred which led to the boy coming into contact with the allergen”, the Met said in a statement.



A 13-year-old boy was arrested and released on bail pending further inquiries and the case has been passed to homicide officers.

Karanbir’s father, Amarjeet, told the Evening Standard he was heartbroken.

“We were in hospital I had to watch him die, no parent should have to go through that.” he said. “While he was in hospital we were fully concentrated on his condition. Now we want answers. How could this have happened?

“My son had allergies but he was very careful. He had an allergy to dairy products but was good at avoiding them. I don’t how a piece of cheese hitting him could have killed him, it doesn’t make any sense. We have been told very little.”

A postmortem has been scheduled for Wednesday 12 July to establish the cause of what the Met described as “an unexplained death”.

The head of William Perkin C of E high school in Greenford, west London, where Karanbir was a pupil, said he was treated immediately in the school before paramedics arrived.

“He had a full care plan and all the normal steps you would expect with a child with an allergy were in place. We provided these medications and they were delivered,” Alice Hudson, executive headteacher told the Evening Standard. “Everything that should have been done was done. Very, very tragically in this situation this was not effective.”

She told the Daily Mirror that Karanbir, known as Karan, had come to the school office to tell staff he was having a bad reaction.

“He was able to come to the school office to indicate that he thought he was having an extreme reaction and they were able to immediately administer the normal treatment, which was kept in the office for his care. Very, very tragically in this situation this was not effective.”

Hudson added: “He had many friends who are devastated at his death, as are the staff. He was a bright and keen student who excelled in maths. Our thoughts and prayers are with Karan’s family.”