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Nasar Ahmed: Teenager dies after falling ill in school detention

Teenager is understood to have had severe asthma

Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith
Tuesday 15 November 2016 12:41 EST
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Police in London have launched an investigation after a teenage boy who reportedly had severe asthma died after becoming ill in detention.

Nasar Ahmed, 14, a pupil at Bow School in east London, was taken to the Royal Hospital on Thursday after becoming ill during detention.

It is understood he was in an exclusion group with three other pupils, doing school work under a teacher's supervision, when he began to have problems breathing and a 999 call was made. He died in hospital on Monday after reportedly spending four days in intensive care.

Scotland Yard is treating his death as unexplained.

His uncle, who has not been named, told the BBC he was in detention with his friends after lunch when he started complaining of feeling ill and asked for his inhaler. The school then called an ambulance and Nasar was taken to hospital.

Nasar reportedly suffered from severe asthma and the school had a care plan in place for the boy’s medical condition, the broadcaster reported.

Cousin Sani Begum, 38, told the MailOnline that Nasar was “panicking” in his detention and “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 said.

Nasar’s family have reportedly claimed he was unfairly placed in detention for tipping over a bin by accident.

Cath Smith, executive head teacher of the school, said in a statement: “I am very sad to confirm that 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).”

Bow School is a mixed secondary school with around 500 students aged 11 to 18.

The Metropolitan police is treating the death as “unexplained”.

A police spokeswoman said: "We were informed on Sunday November 13 that a child was being treated in an east London hospital after being taken unwell at a school in Tower Hamlets on Thursday November 10.

"On Monday November 14 the 14-year-old boy died. His next of kin have been informed.

"The death is being treated as unexplained at this time."

Police said a post-mortem will be carried out.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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