A Preventable Tragedy: School Allergy Failures Led to 5-Year-Old’s Death

Benedict Blythe loved school so much he cried when weekends came—but the place that brought him joy became the site of his tragic, preventable death. The five-year-old, who had severe allergies to cow’s milk, eggs, kiwis, and nuts, died in December 2021 after an anaphylactic reaction at Barnack Primary School in Lincolnshire.

An inquest revealed shocking safety failures: his oat milk, meant to be poured in the classroom, was instead prepared in the staff room, risking cross-contamination. Worse, staff delayed administering his life-saving EpiPen. His mother, Helen Blythe, fought back tears as she spoke outside court: “He should have been safe where he died. This was a chain of human and systemic failures.”

Benedict had already survived two severe allergic reactions in the weeks before his death. His family now campaigns under #ProtectPupilsWithAllergies, demanding schools prioritize allergy safety. Meanwhile, across the world, another community grieves four-year-old Maverick Flinn, killed in a farm accident—reminding us how fragile childhood truly is.

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