The British government has issued an apology for the death of 9-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who is believed to be the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed on her death certificate. Ella developed severe asthma just before her 7th birthday and suffered from severe seizures before her untimely death in 2013. The apology came as part of a settlement in a lawsuit filed by Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who has been campaigning for better air quality standards to protect children in low-income communities from the risks of vehicle emissions.
The lawsuit was brought after Rosamund fought to reopen the coroner’s inquest into Ella’s death following the Dieselgate scandal, which revealed how Volkswagen had obscured the true level of emissions released by its vehicles. Research by the Royal College of Physicians showed that around 40,000 deaths in the UK each year can be attributed to outdoor air pollution, with the burden falling heavily on low-income communities living near busy roads and major sources of emissions. Ella lived just 25 meters away from a major road in London, exposing her to harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter.
In May 2019, the original inquest findings attributing Ella’s death to asthma were set aside by Britain’s High Court. A second inquest in December 2020 found that air pollution was a contributing factor in Ella’s death, alongside acute respiratory failure and severe asthma. Deputy Coroner Philip Barlow ruled that Ella’s mother was not adequately informed by health professionals about the health risks of air pollution and its potential to exacerbate asthma, and that this lack of information may have contributed to Ella’s death. The child’s estate sued several government departments for compensation over Ella’s illness and premature death.
The government described Ella’s death as a “tragedy” and acknowledged the impact of her mother’s public campaign for better air quality standards. Environment Minister Emma Hardy reaffirmed the government’s commitment to passing legislation that will align the UK with World Health Organization standards for air quality. The government also offered a sincere apology to Ella’s mother, her siblings, and everyone who knew her, acknowledging the immeasurable loss of losing a loved one at such a young age. The settlement also included an undisclosed financial agreement to compensate for Ella’s illness and death.
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah expressed relief that the settlement marked acknowledgment of what happened to her daughter and helped raise awareness about air pollution as a public health crisis. She emphasized the importance of continuing to work towards cleaning up the air to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. The government’s apology and commitment to improving air quality standards in line with international guidelines serve as a step towards ensuring the health and well-being of all citizens, particularly vulnerable children living in communities most affected by pollution from vehicle emissions.
