Air pollution a cause in girl's death, coroner rules in landmark case

Coroner says failure to reduce pollution levels to legal limits was factor in death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, who had severe asthma

A coroner has made legal history by ruling that air pollution was a cause of the death of a nine-year-old girl.

Philip Barlow, the inner south London coroner, said Ella Kissi-Debrah's death in February 2013 was caused by acute respiratory failure, severe asthma and air pollution exposure.