Severely asthmatic schoolboy, 14, dies after falling ill in detention

schoolboy

Nasar Ahmed. Pic: Sani Begum Sania

A Tower Hamlets schoolboy has died in hospital after falling ill during a lunchtime detention.

Fourteen-year-old Nasar Ahmed, who is understood to suffer from severe asthma, was taken to the Royal London Hospital when he became ill at Bow School last Thursday, November 10. He then died in hospital on Monday.

His death is being treated as unexpected. The causes may become clearer following a post-mortem examination, to be carried out by the coroner.

According to the Evening Standard, Nasar’s father, Ashram Zaman, 48 was called into the school on Thursday morning, at 11:40am, because his son had done something naughty. 

 

He said: “Nasar put his hands together and pleaded with me, saying ‘I’ll never do it again. I’m so tired, I’m not well,’ but they sent him to detention anyway.”

Nasar was said to be supervised during the detention, with three other pupils in a ground floor room.

It is said that he did not have his inhaler or epi-pen with him when paramedics arrived at the school.

His father was called to the school later when his son fell ill: “I left work to rush down and there were four ambulances outside. The paramedics tried to stop me getting to him but I pushed past. I got into the room and saw my son on the floor. I saw them working on him to try and get him breathing again,” he said.

“Now we’ve lost our son, we’ve got nothing left.”

Nasar’s mother, Ferdosie told the Standard: “Nasar was ill growing up and it was a challenge raising him until he got to 14. Now he is gone out of this world without us. I can’t believe it.”

In a statement, Bow School confirmed Ahmed had “passed away in hospital”. The school said it will cooperate fully with investigations into the boy’s death.

Bow School. Pic: Eunice Marfo

Bow School. Pic: Eunice Marfo

“The whole school community sends our thoughts and prayers to him, and to his family,” said executive head teacher Cat Smith.

“We will continue to offer support to the family, his fellow pupils and teachers at this very difficult time.”

A now-deleted statement from the school, made before Ahmed’s death, said emergency services were called after he showed signs of breathing difficulties that rapidly got worse.

“Additional adult help was immediately sought and two trained first aiders, who had full knowledge of the student’s medical needs, were rapidly with the student,” the statement read.

“Simultaneously, an emergency call was made and the staff in attendance received expert advice over the phone whilst waiting for the paramedics.

“Shortly afterward, a rapid response paramedic was on site and was swiftly joined by a number of his colleagues who took control of providing emergency care, with support from staff in the school.

“The school made immediate contact with the family and the student’s parent came as quickly as they could. They were supported by a school translator and were briefed about their child’s condition by the paramedics throughout,” it continued.

Bow School is considered ‘good and improving’ according to the most recent Ofsted report.

According to figures released by the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Bow is one of eleven schools in the Tower Hamlets area which exceeds legal air quality levels.

The majority of students come from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly the Bangladeshi community.

Tower Hamlets police are conducting inquiries in relation to the incident.

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