The mother of a girl whose death was linked to poor air quality is bringing a High Court claim against the Government.
Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who died aged nine in 2013, was the first person in the world to have air pollution recorded as a cause of death on her death certificate.
A claim on behalf of Ella’s estate is now being brought against three government departments for breaches of her rights under the Human Rights Act, including a breach of the right to life.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Transport and the Department for Health and Social Care dispute the claim.
Ella lived close to the South Circular Road in Lewisham and developed asthma just before her seventh birthday. She experienced asthma attacks that left her struggling to breathe and required frequent hospitalisation.
A few weeks after her ninth birthday she suffered a fatal asthma attack. In December 2020, Southwark Coroner's Court concluded that 'exposure to excessive air pollution' contributed to Ella’s death.
