British Tourist Died of Peanut Allergy After Being Reassured Food Was Nut-Free, Inquest Hears

A British tourist died from a severe allergic reaction after consuming a churro and hot chocolate in a Buenos Aires cafe, an inquest has been told. Harry James Kitto, 24, was repeatedly assured by staff at Café Tortoni that his food did not contain nuts, despite his severe intolerance.

Kitto, a barber and photographer, was traveling in South America with his girlfriend Naomi when they visited the popular cafe in November 2025. After ordering food, they inquired about the presence of peanuts in the churros. They were told the churros were nut-free. After consuming one, Kitto began to feel unwell. When his girlfriend asked staff again to confirm, they reiterated that the dish did not contain nuts. Kitto then consumed a second churro, after which his condition worsened significantly.

The couple took the underground to their accommodation, where Kitto's EpiPen was located. However, en route, Kitto began experiencing breathing difficulties. By the time his girlfriend returned with the EpiPen, Kitto had collapsed and was found unconscious on the ground. An ambulance arrived approximately ten minutes later, and Kitto was administered adrenaline. His heart stopped en route to the hospital.

At Hospital Ramos Mejia in Buenos Aires, paramedics managed to resuscitate Kitto and he was placed on a ventilator. Despite their efforts, medical staff determined that Kitto had suffered irreversible brain damage. His life support was withdrawn, and he passed away on November 7, 2025.

His family described him as "kind, adventurous, funny, and full of life," stating their hearts were "broken beyond words." Kitto had been sharing photos of his travels, including treks in Peru, on social media. A GoFundMe page established to repatriate his body raised over £70,000.

Further testing was conducted when Kitto's father and brother visited the same cafe and ordered the same dish. They inquired about nuts and were again told there were none. However, laboratory analysis of a churro sample found 20mg of peanut protein per kilo.

Assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Emma Hillson, concluded that it was more likely than not that the peanut proteins in the churro caused Kitto's anaphylactic shock, leading to respiratory depression and unsurvivable brain damage. The death was ruled accidental.