Does the UK go far enough to protect children from conspiracy theorist parents?
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Does the UK go far enough to protect children from conspiracy theorist parents?
The inquest into the death of Paloma Shemirani, the daughter of a British conspiracy theorist, was like something out of a TV show.
As it unfolded, the medical world clashed with "Conspiracyland", with experienced doctors questioned in courtrooms by people who believe in medical disinformation.
Paloma Shemirani, a Cambridge University graduate from East Sussex, died in July last year - seven months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She had been told conventional treatment would give her a high chance of survival, but rejected chemotherapy in favour of alternative methods, like juices and coffee enemas.
Paloma's twin brother Gabriel has long pointed the finger at their mother Kate. He strongly believes that Kate's beliefs were behind Paloma's decision to reject chemotherapy.
On Thursday, coroner Catherine Wood said Paloma was "highly influenced" by mother's beliefs - as well as others including a family friend and her dad. They all advocated the alternative treatment she used.
"The influence that was brought to bear on Paloma... did contribute more than minimally to her death," the coroner said.
Kate Shemirani, a former nurse with 80,000 followers on X, lost her licence to practise in 2021 - a Nursing and Midwifery Council committee found she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that "put the public at a significant risk of harm".
Gabriel says that his childhood was engulfed by outlandish misinformation about 9/11 being "an inside job" and the Royal Family being shape-shifting lizards. Above all, he claims he and Paloma were subject to false health information.
When he last spoke to his mother on the phone, Gabriel says he vowed to, "hold [her] accountable".
For her part, Kate Shemirani has remained firm that the decision to reject chemotherapy was entirely Paloma's own and she has promoted a range of unproven theories holding the NHS and medics responsible for her death. Paloma's father Faramarz Shemirani expressed similar views at the Coroner's court.
Both during the inquest and when I contacted her about my original investigation, Kate repeatedly rejected any accusations that her beliefs or behaviour played a part in Paloma's choices and her ultimately losing her life. Neither she nor Faramarz responded to my message asking for a comment on the inquest findings.
Yesterday, the coroner ruled: "I found Mrs Shemirani's care of her daughter incomprehensible but not unlawful killing.
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