Tragedy in Rabat: UK student dies from severe allergic reaction

It was meant to be a wonderful time. Eighteen-year-old University of Exeter student Lily King was on vacation in Morocco, celebrating her first-year exam results. No one expected that she would spend her last moments of life there. The teenager died after eating a meal that triggered a severe allergic reaction.

During the final night of their stay in Rabat, Lily and her mother, Aicha, decided to have dinner at a nearby restaurant. They had visited the place before and believed the meals would be safe for Lily, who had numerous food allergies. Aicha, fluent in Arabic, clearly informed the restaurant staff about her daughter's dairy, fish, shellfish, sesame, and nuts allergies.

Unfortunately, after eating chicken with fries, Lily began to experience symptoms of an allergic reaction. Although she tried to alleviate the symptoms with an adrenaline injection, the panic and sluggishness of the staff, who refused to let her mother leave without settling the bill, caused a delay in getting medical assistance. This might have been decisive for Lily's fate.

Despite her mother's rescue attempts, Lily died on the way to the hospital due to a heart attack.

"She told me 'I love you, goodbye' and then passed away," recalled a heartbroken Aicha, quoted by "The Sun".

Lily's family is devastated and is demanding justice and answers from Moroccan authorities. What killed the teenager? It is unknown. Two autopsies conducted in Morocco and England have not provided answers to this question. The family fears they may never know the truth about the cause of the eighteen-year-old's death.

Although an investigation into the restaurant has been initiated, the family has not been informed of the progress.

In tribute to Lily, her family has established a fundraising page to support people suffering from allergies. The description highlighted how allergies impacted the late teenager's life and hindered her daily functioning.