AN 18-year-old Exeter University student tragically died on her mum's shoulder after having a horror allergic reaction. Lily King had been on holiday to celebrate top grades in her first year of University but had began to feel ill after eating chicken and chips. Lily and her mum Aicha, 56, were coming to the end of their weeks' long stay in Rabat, Morocco, in June and had decided to go out for dinner on their final night.
The pair had eaten at the nearby restaurant before and were confident Lily wouldn't be served any food she was allergic to. Upon arrival, Aicha, who is Moroccan and speaks Arabic, clearly told staff about her daughter’s allergies. She explicitly said they should avoid cooking anything containing dairy, fish, shellfish, sesame, and nuts.
Lily's father, Michael King, 73, told the Mail his wife was very clear about what their daughter "could and could not eat". But, in a scene that is every parents worst nightmare, within just minutes of food being served the teenager started struggling to breathe. Lily rushed outside to throw up and tried to use her epi-pen, which she always kept with her, according to her father.
But, as panic ensured, restaurant staff refused to let her mother leave without paying the bill , wasting crucial seconds. He said: "They delayed her from leaving the restaurant by a few minutes, which could have actually saved Lily’s life." Aicha explained through tears how she requested a simple meal of grilled chicken and chips not mixed in o.