By Ben Cubby and Angus Dalton
A year 11 boy at Sydney’s Shore school attended a function at a waterfront venue in Mosman on Wednesday night before suffering an apparent allergic reaction to food and dying on the way home.
A spokesperson for Zest, a function venue on Spit Road, said staff were “devastated” when they learnt of the boy’s death and were co-operating with authorities.
The Sydney Church of England Grammar School’s main campus in North Sydney.
The boy, whom the Herald has chosen not to name, died after apparently suffering an anaphylactic reaction to food while travelling home from an end-of-season school rowing function with his family after 10pm.
A report will be prepared for the coroner. There is no suggestion that food the boy may have eaten at Zest contributed to his death.
“Our team was informed of allergy and dietary requirements before the event, and we are assisting authorities to piece together what happened,” a Zest spokesperson said.
“We are devastated. Our thoughts are with the family, to whom we expressed our deepest condolences through the boy’s school the day after the event.”
The venue said the booking for the event was for 116 people.
“The entire Shore community is shocked by the tragic death of a much-loved year 11 student,” a spokesperson for the school said in a statement.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the student, who was a popular and active member of the school community. Support and counselling have been offered to his family, his fellow students, and staff.”
Headmaster John Collier wrote to parents on Thursday, describing the boy as “a dedicated student but also a much-loved and respected member of our Shore community”.
The Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an all-boys private school on its main campus, with a co-educational primary school, and has about 1600 students enrolled.
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