NZ Herald | September 2026 | Riley Brown Dies From Anaphylaxis After Meal at Care Facility

In June 2025, 24-year-old Riley Brown died from anaphylaxis after eating dinner at Halifax Respite, a community mental health facility in Nelson, New Zealand.

Now, following an investigation into his death, a coroner has detailed the events that led to Riley’s death.

The facility knew Riley had a peanut allergy and it was recorded in his admission documents. Yet the stir-fry he was served was made using a curry paste labelled “may contain peanuts”. The nurse who prepared the meal told police he had not read the food label.

Within half an hour, Riley became unwell and vomited. He told staff he was having an allergic reaction and asked for an EpiPen, but there wasn’t one available at the facility.

An ambulance was called and Riley’s condition rapidly deteriorated. Paramedics administered adrenaline, but tragically, he could not be saved.

The coroner found that “several matters aligned tragically” in Riley’s death, revealing a series of failures in how his allergy was recorded, communicated and managed. His peanut allergy was known and recorded at the facility, yet that vital information did not translate into the food being prepared for him.

The coroner has now recommended changes to how people with known allergies in facilities are cared for, including reviewing allergy safety processes at the facility and considering whether adrenaline auto-injectors should be available when someone with a known allergy is staying there.

This is why allergy safety can never simply be information written on a form. Information given has to inform what happens next.

It means checking every label. Making safe decisions about food. Ensuring allergy information and protocols follow someone through their care. Making sure staff understand anaphylaxis and are prepared to respond confidently in an emergency.

Riley’s mum, Paula, described his death as a “senseless waste of a life” that could have been prevented. Our thoughts are with Paula, Riley’s family and everyone who loved him. It is a travesty that the system that was meant to care for Riley failed him so tragically.