Mum, 28, collapsed and died due to unknown allergy

Gayathiri Jeyatheesan, 28, died on January 25 this year, shortly after eating crab meat

A "lovely and kind" mum who died after eating a seafood dish at her Bootle home was suffering from a previously unknown crab allergy, a court has ruled.

Gayathiri Jeyatheesan, 28, died at Aintree University Hospital on January 25 this year, shortly after eating crab meat. The mum-of-one, who was known to be allergic to prawns, had purchased the crab as a special treat to celebrate her mother visiting from Sri Lanka.

At around 2pm that day, while at home with her young son and mum, Gayathiri began feeling unwell with a sore throat and breathing difficulties. Her husband Selvarajah was working in the family shop on Stanley Road when she alerted him via Whatsapp, and he called 999 at 2.36pm.

Ambulance crews arrived at the scene at 2.51pm, when Gayathiri was in cardiac arrest. She was resuscitated at 3.15pm and taken to Aintree Hospital in a serious condition.

At her inquest this week, coroner Julie Goulding ruled: "Gayathiri was in a critical condition when she arrived at the hospital and notwithstanding the continued administration of aggressive, advanced life support and emergency treatment, Gayathiri's condition continued to deteriorate and she was tragically pronounced deceased at 4.49pm.

"Post mortem examination showed a markedly elevated mast cell tryptase (a sign of of anaphylaxis - a severe allergic reaction).

"Taken together with the circumstances, the known allergy to prawns and the ingestion of crab meat, (on balance) Gayathiri is highly likely to have developed an acute anaphylactic reaction and as a consequence suffered a catastrophic cardiorespiratory collapse that led to her death."

The cause of death was found to be anaphylaxis and a shellfish allergy. Coroner Goulding handed down a conclusion of death by misadventure.

Gayathiri left behind her heartbroken husband Selvarajah and their 15-month-old son. The couple married three years ago and were looking forward to celebrating their anniversary on January 27, just two days before her sudden death.

Gayathiri had purchased new clothes for the special occasion, and they were planning to go the Shri Muthu Mariamman Temple to celebrate.

Family friend Ananth Raj told the ECHO Gayathiri was a "lovely and kind person" who worked hard in the couple's convenience store. He said: "She got up every morning at 6am and worked until 2 or 3pm in the shop.

"She was really well-loved by people and was a very good and devoted mum. The family's suffering is awful to see. I'm so upset about it. Every evening I go and stay with them, give them comfort. Her mother is in a terrible way."