Girl, 12, dies after drinking milkshake made in contaminated blender at Southwark café

Mia-Shay St Hilaire, from Sydenham, drank the shake poisoned with hazelnuts and almonds at Pop-Inn Café, Southwark Park Road, while visiting with her aunt and sister in August 2023
-Credit:Southwark Council


A 12-year-old girl died from a horrific allergic reaction after drinking a milkshake contaminated with nuts after the owner had not properly cleaned the blender. Mia-Shay St Hilaire drank the shake poisoned with hazelnuts and almonds at Pop-Inn Café, Southwark Park Road, while visiting with her aunt and sister in August 2023.

The fatal drink triggered her treenut allergy, which has since led to the café’s food business operator, Baris Yucel, pleading guilty to six charges. He was hit with an £18,000 fine and handed 100 hours of community service following his hearing at Croydon Magistrates Court on Friday (January 24).

His charges included not making allergen advice available or visible to consumers, failing to manage allergen contamination during the food production process, and serving food that contained an allergenic ingredient that was not supposed to be present. It comes after CCTV evidence showed Mr Yucel not cleaning the blender before making Mia’s drink.

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Pop-Inn Café, on Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey
The offending venue was Pop-Inn Café, on Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey -Credit:Google

There were substances that caused her to suffer a severe allergic reaction left behind from the preparation of a previous milkshake.

Cllr Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods said: “What happened to Mia-Shay is a tragedy and my heart goes out to her family and the people who loved her. This might have been avoided if the operator of the café had followed simple food safety rules, and our officers will continue to work with local businesses to help ensure these are followed by all food outlets in Southwark.”

Baris Yucel’s lawyer said: “I represented Mr Baris Belgin at the Croydon Magistrates Court on January 24 2025 with respect to his sentencing hearing for six breaches of the Health & Safety Regulations. He pleaded guilty to these offences and was given a Community Order and fines and costs amounting to £18,000.00.

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“Prior to sentencing Mr Yucel, District Judge Dean commented that the 47 year old defendant was of previous good character and that throughout the 22 years in the food business, there have been no previous incidents reported against him. Pop Inn Café had a good food safety record and the Judge accepted that Mr Yucel had shown genuine remorse.

“He took immediate steps to better educate himself in September and October 2023 and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. Regrettably, the Café were not notified by the child’s guardian that the child was allergic to tree nuts and the Judge stated that apart from the lack of signage as to notifying the establishment of any food allergies/intolerances, that this would not have prevented the tragic consequences which followed.

“Mr Yucel has had to live with the consequences what happened and a day does not go by when he does not think about the child and her family. Pop Inn Café was granted a Food Hygiene Rating of 5 in October 2023 and it remains at this level after a full inspection by Southwark Council in September 2024.”

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