Ella Kissi-Debrah’s mother says she wants justice for her daughter in landmark air pollution case

Deputy coroner to give conclusion on Wednesday

Nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah suffered a fatal asthma attack in February 2013. (PA)

The mother of a girl who died from an asthma attack allegedly brought on by air pollution has said she hopes a landmark case will deliver justice for her daughter.

Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, whose nine-year-old daughter Ella died in February 2013, made the comment at the end of an inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court on Friday.

The landmark case is considering whether the high levels of air pollutants around her family’s home played a role in Ella’s death.

The nine-year-old had lived right next to the South Circular Road in Lewisham, one of London’s busiest roads.

She suffered numerous seizures and made dozens of trips to hospital in the three years prior to her death.

On the last day of the inquest hearings, her mother said: "I am very tired. The reason why this whole thing started, at the end of it, I would like justice for my daughter and that is why I am here, first and foremost.”

Ms Kissi-Debrah, a teacher, added that many children’s lives could be improved if the inquest delivers the conclusion she wants.

She also said that the case had shown how serious the threat of air pollution is. As a result, she called on “governments, local councils and campaigners” to bring about change on the issue – irrespective of the outcome of the inquiry.

This comes three days after Ms Kissi-Debrah told the hearing that she and her family would have moved if they had known of the effects of the dangerous air pollution levels.

However, she said that she and doctors had been “looking in the wrong direction” for the cause of Ella’s breathing difficulties.

The initial inquest found that she had died from acute respiratory failure. However, this conclusion was quashed by the High Court six years ago following new evidence about local air pollution.  

Philip Barlow, the assistant coroner, is expected to deliver his conclusion in the latest inquest on Wednesday.

If it decided that Ella died as a result of air pollution, she would be the first person in the UK to have it listed as the cause of their death.

Additional reporting by PA