Zane’s parents have met the Secretary of State for Justice to once again call for an Independent Panel Inquiry into his death.
The 7 year old passed away after the River Thames flooded his home in Chertsey in 2014.
Justice Minister Alex Chalk has agreed to raise the case with the Environment Secretary and the Prime Minister’s advisers, his department has confirmed.
It follows a meeting between the Lord Chancellor and the parents of Zane Gbangbola over their fight for an independent panel inquiry.
But Kye and Nicole dispute this and say their son was killed by gas washed out of a former nearby landfill site.
The Lord Chancellor, Alex Chalk, says he recognises that achieving justice through Inquests has failed in many instances.
He cited the Hillsborough families.
He has agreed to raise the call for an Independent Panel Inquiry for Zane with the Prime Minister’s Office.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1367nmj8mjo
To: Justice Secretary Alex Chalk & Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
CALL FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND INDEPENDENT PANEL INQUIRY INTO THE DEATH OF 7 YEAR OLD ZANE
Potential Risk Arising From Toxic Gas In Landfills
We are calling for a truthful public debate and investigation into the tragic death of 7 year old Zane Gbangbola, who died when hydrogen cyanide was found in his home as floodwater rose beneath.
Why is this important?
Zane died in his home on 8 February 2014, a day after his home in Chertsey was hit by severe floods. His parents Nicole and Kye were hospitalised in a critical condition.
Evidence suggests the cause of Zane’s death was hydrogen cyanide, a toxic gas that can lurk in unregulated landfill - like the one by their house - released from the ground by mixing with floodwater. But it took Public Health England 14 weeks to confirm to the family that hydrogen cyanide was indeed found in their flooded house. And despite this the pathologist was never told to test Zane’s blood for hydrogen cyanide.
Nicole and Kye are bereaved parents who deserve to know what really happened to their son. They have been left ‘broken’ by the death of their son and frustrated by the lack of answers.
Zane's father Kye, who was left paralysed from the same incident and whose diagnosis is paraplegia due to Hydrogen Cyanide poisoning, says:
“We really want to push and find answers because it is wrong that these risks can occur. Ideally this is something we would like to be able to highlight nationally. This deadly gas has come from somewhere, the authorities need to admit its presence, investigate its source and act to prevent more deaths and illness.
We miss Zane every second of the day and all those who spent time with Zane commented that Zane was a truly remarkable boy. We would not want anyone else to experience this pain and burden of a living hell”.