The family of Orla Baxendale, a 25-year-old professional dancer who tragically lost her life on January 11 after consuming recalled Florentine Cookies from Stew Leonard’s, asserts that her death could have been entirely prevented, her lawyer Marijo Adimey said.
Describing Orla as a “young, vivacious, beautiful professional dancer,” Adimey underscored the devastating and avoidable nature of her death resulting from anaphylactic shock triggered by an allergic reaction.
Cookies United, a Long Island-based company responsible for supplying Stew Leonard’s with the recalled cookies, disclosed that it had notified the grocery chain of ingredient changes in the summer.
However, Stew Leonard initially claimed they were unaware of the alteration to include peanuts. This assertion was contradicted by Cookies United, which stated they had communicated this change in July.
Subsequently, Stew Leonard’s issued a product recall. Orla Baxendale had consumed the cookie at a social gathering in Connecticut, and the ingredient list did not indicate the presence of peanuts.
In response to the tragedy, Stew Leonard expressed condolences in a video, stating, “I’m here with our family, and, I mean, we’re just all devastated, unfortunate. I have four daughters, one of them is in her twenties. I can imagine how that family feels right now.”
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection is investigating the incident, highlighting the failure of packaging at Stew Leonard’s to disclose the presence of peanuts, despite Cookies United’s packaging indicating their presence.
Dr. Punita Ponda, Associate Division Chief for Allergy and Immunology at Northwell Health, emphasized the avoidable nature of food allergy deaths.
She stressed the importance of manufacturers taking adequate precautions and urged families to review allergy action plans, recognize early symptoms, and carry necessary medication, such as an EpiPen, at all times.
As the family seeks accountability, the incident underscores the critical need for transparency and diligence in food product labeling to prevent such tragic events.
