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Toddler Hospitalized After Qatar Airways Crew Serves Allergic Child Forbidden Candy
11 Nov
Summary
- 3-year-old girl hospitalized after Qatar Airways flight attendant served her a dairy-containing Kit Kat
- Toddler went into anaphylaxis, spent 2 days in ICU
- Family files $5 million lawsuit against airline for negligence
On April 9, 2022, a 3-year-old girl and her mother, Swetha Neerukonda, boarded a Qatar Airways flight from Washington Dulles to India. Neerukonda had informed the cabin crew about her daughter's severe dairy and nut allergies, but a flight attendant allegedly disregarded the warnings and served the child a Kit Kat bar.
When Neerukonda returned from the lavatory, she confronted the flight attendant, who "mocked and mitigated" her concerns. Shortly after, the toddler went into a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction, with her vital signs declining rapidly. Neerukonda administered an EpiPen, but the cabin crew allegedly did little to assist.
Upon landing in Doha, the child's condition worsened, and she was rushed to the hospital's intensive care unit, where she spent two days until stabilizing. After reaching India, the girl suffered a second anaphylactic episode and required further emergency treatment.
Neerukonda has now filed a $5 million lawsuit against Qatar Airways, accusing the airline of negligence and a breach of duty of care. The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile allergy-related incidents on international flights, highlighting the need for better training and protocols to protect passengers with severe food allergies.
