Florida teen dies after eating school dessert, lawsuit claims
Kayleen Brown died in April 2023 after consuming a dessert that contained nuts. (Provided by Nichols & Pina, LLLP)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The father of a Florida teen is suing a school board after the teen died from consuming a popular dessert that contained nuts.
Teen with nut allergy dies after consuming school dessert, lawsuit claims
According to a lawsuit obtained by FOX Television Stations, 17-year-old Kayleen Brown was a student at Atlantic Coast High School in Duval County, Florida.
In April 2023, Brown attended a school function where Baklava, a pastry, was served.
The lawsuit alleged that Brown, who suffered from a nut allergy, had asked the staff if the pastry contained nuts and was told it did not.
However, the pastry did contain pistachio nuts.
What allegedly happened after the teen consumed the dessert?
Brown then started to "exhibit symptoms associated with her food allergy," according to the lawsuit.
Brown went to a local pharmacy to obtain Benadryl after she was not seen by a school nurse and school officials did not contact emergency repsonders, the lawsuit claimed.
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When Brown arrived at the pharmacy, her symptoms worsened.
"She experienced anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest," the lawsuit read. She fell into a coma and was declared dead on
April 30, 2023."
The father is suing the Duval County School Board for $50,000 for negligence.
What they're saying:
Steven Brown, who's representing the father in the lawsuit, said the school was previously aware of Brown's nut allergy.
"Defendant DCPS owed a duty of care to its students, including Kayleen Brown, to ensure that food that was designated as allergen free and/or had been requested to be prepared allergen free was in fact free from allergens that would cause
death or serious harm to students," he wrote in the complaint.
"We are very sorry to hear about the tragic passing of this young person, and our sympathies go out to the family," the school district said in a statement to FOX TV Stations. "Because this matter appears to involve pending litigation, any district response will come within the context of the judicial proceedings."
The Source: The information in this story came from a lawsuit obtained by FOX Television Stations, which details the death of 17-year-old Kayleen Brown after consuming Baklava at a school event in Duval County, Florida. This story was reported from Los Angeles.