Schoolboy with severe asthma dies after detention illness at east London school

An asthmatic schoolboy has died days after he was taken ill while in detention at an east London school. Nasar Ahmed, who had severe asthma and allergies, fell ill on Thursday (10 November) at Bow School in Tower Hamlets, east London.

The 14-year-old was rushed to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, but died on Monday (14 November) afternoon. London's Metropolitan Police Force have said that his tragic death was being treated as "unexplained".

It is believed that Ahmed may have suffered an asthma attack during supervised detention with three children.

The school say that paramedics were called when he complained he felt ill and it was discovered he did not have his inhaler or EpiPen.

A statement from executive Headteacher Cath Smith said: "I am very sad to confirm one of our Year 9 pupils, who was taken ill at school last Thursday, has passed away in hospital. The whole school community sends our thoughts and prayers to him, and to his family.

"We will continue to offer support to the family, his fellow pupils and teachers at this very difficult time. We will, of course, cooperate fully with investigations into the circumstances of this tragic incident and will also carry out a thorough review of what happened ourselves."

A spokesperson for the school added: "Nasar had medical conditionals which the school were aware of. He had a care plan to manage these conditions. When he fell ill, the people who responded to him were aware of this care plan."

His cousin, Sani Begum Sania, 38, said his parents rushed to the school when hearing of his illness and are "devastated and in shock" after his death. She added that he was a "smart, decent child" who was placed in detention for "accidentally knocking over a bin".

"He was panicking. He collapsed. His father was called in and found him on the floor and the paramedics were treating him and said his heart and breathing had stopped," she told the Daily Mail.

"He was on a life support machine, but he was badly brain damaged. He was dead already, I would say, but the machine was keeping him alive."

A postmortem examination is set to take place which will conform the cause of death and social services have been informed.