Mother of girl, 9, who died in pollution-linked death vows to continue fight after receiving settlement

The mother of a nine-year-old schoolgirl who died from an asthma attack linked to air pollution has vowed to continue the fight for clean air as she accepted a government apology over her daughter’s death.

Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah – who had lived 82ft from the busy South Circular Road in Lewisham – was the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death following a landmark inquest in 2020, after she suffered the fatal asthma attack in February 2013.

On Thursday, three government departments settled a claim for compensation over her “illness and premature death”, and issued a statement telling Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah “we are truly sorry for your loss” and that no child should have to suffer as Ella did.

Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and Ella’s siblings, 17-year-old twins Robert and Sophia, also had a meeting with environment minister Emma Hardy at the Defra offices in London.

Speaking to The Independent afterwards, Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said that while the ministers stated they were willing to work with her, they had made no promises about passing legislation, after the Clean Air Bill, dubbed Ella’s law, was introduced to Parliament last October.

The bill would legislate making access to clean air a human right and hold authorities to account for failing to act on persistent risks to health - but it will need to get through Parliament before being passed.

Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said there needed to be a public health campaign to educate the public about the extent of the issue and what was needed to overcome it.

She said: “It needs to be moved out of the political atmosphere.

“To clean the air is not easy, they are going to be difficult decisions made, and it costs money, and I think it would help if people understood why certain things are happening.”

In their statement, the three government ministers overseeing health, environment and transport departments told Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah: “On behalf of the government departments who were party to the claim, we again take this opportunity to say we are truly sorry for your loss and to express our sincerest condolences to you as Ella’s mother, to her siblings, and to everyone who knew her. To lose a loved one at such a young age is an immeasurable loss.”

The ministers said in their letter that the government was aiming to tackle emissions.

“We are also conducting a comprehensive review of how we communicate air quality information to ensure members of the public, and vulnerable people have the information they need to protect themselves,” they said.

The settlement marks a major step in the long battle to have the role of air pollution in Ella’s death recognised after her estate, over which her mother acts as administrator, sued the Environment Department (Defra), the Department for Transport and the Department for Health and Social Care.

Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said she had been fighting for justice for her daughter for more than 14 years.

“Nothing will ever make up for the pain and suffering that Ella went through, or for the trauma of losing a beloved daughter and sister at such a young age. The loss to our family is immeasurable,” she said in a statement.

“I believe every child has a right to breathe clean air, no matter where they live, their ethnic background or their economic status. Ella’s story has been a force for change and I will continue to use her legacy to hold authorities to account.”

Thursday’s announcement is the latest chapter in a legal saga that saw the results of an initial investigation that did not link air pollution to the girl’s death quashed by the High Court following new evidence produced by an expert’s report.

In his ruling, coroner Philip Barlow said that Ella had been exposed to levels of two air pollutants, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter, in excess of the limits set by the World Health Organisation.

“Ella died of asthma contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution,” he said. “There was a recognised failure to reduce the levels of NO2, which possibly contributed to her death.”