Current:Home > NewsDeath of woman who ate mislabeled cookie from Stew Leonard's called "100% preventable and avoidable" -Wealth Evolution Experts
Death of woman who ate mislabeled cookie from Stew Leonard's called "100% preventable and avoidable"
Oliver James Montgomery View
Date:2025-04-09 20:09:49
NEW YORK - The family attorney of a professional dancer is calling out the dangers of mislabeled food items after the young woman died from an allergic reaction to a cookie containing peanuts.
It was purchased at a Stew Leonard's grocery store.
Órla Baxendale, 25, moved to New York City from the United Kingdom six years ago to pursue her professional dance dreams. On Jan. 11, she had a fatal allergic reaction to a cookie containing peanuts.
"Her death was completely, 100% preventable and avoidable. It's why packaging is so important," attorney Marijo Adimey said.
Adimey said Baxendale was performing in Connecticut where she ate a cookie purchased from a Stew Leonard's grocery store. Adimey told CBS2 Baxendale's friends said she checked the ingredients first.
"Made sure there wasn't anything in terms of peanuts on the label. There wasn't, so safely, she thought, she had a bite or two of the cookie, and within a minute started to go into anaphylactic shock," Adimey said.
Stew Leonard's grocery chain issued a recall for roughly 500 Florentine wafers sold und the store's brand name at locations in Newington and Danbury, and posted a video about the tragedy on their website.
"We're just devastated, very sad," Stew Leonard, Jr. said. "It was a holiday cookie... we bought it from an outside supplier, and unfortunately this supplier changed the recipe and started going from soy nuts to peanuts."
An attorney representing the manufacturer Cookies United told CBS New York they sent multiple emails to Stew Leonard's alerting employees about the change in ingredients.
The company said in July 2023 they sent Stew Leonard's an updated label, adding the word peanuts. They said in a statement "This product is sold under the Stew Leonard's brand and repackaged at their facilities. The incorrect label was created by, and applied to, their product by Stew Leonard's."
The family attorney said Baxendale was very cautious and did everything right.
"She carried EpiPens wherever she went," Adimey said.
CBS New York medical contributor Dr. Nidhi Kumar said in some cases even an EpiPen can't prevent anaphylactic shock.
"For people who have very severe allergies, they may need multiple doses," Kumar said. "With anaphylaxis, our blood vessels dilate, so what an EpiPen is doing it counteracts having your blood vessels constrict."
Tributes to Baxendale have poured in on social media, including from her brother, who wrote "You truly lived your dreams in New York... . Your graceful moves on the dancefloor will remain in our hearts.
Family members added it is incomprehensible that allergies can still take lives in 2024, and hope more people will learn about anaphylaxis to help save someone's life one day.
Natalie DuddridgeNatalie Duddridge is an award-winning journalist. She joined CBS2 News as a reporter in February 2018.
Twitter Facebook InstagramveryGood! (86825)
Related
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Patrick J. Adams Reveals His Thoughts on a Suits Spinoff With Meghan Markle
- Selena Gomez's 2024 Golden Globes Look Shows Her Rare Beauty
- Billie Eilish's Chic 2024 Golden Globes Look Proves She's Made for the Red Carpet
- The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
- Officers in Colorado are investigating an apparent altercation between Rep. Boebert and ex-husband
- What to know about the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet that suffered a blowout
- Zillow's hottest housing markets for 2024: See which cities made the top 10
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- Thousands forced from homes by quake face stress and exhaustion as Japan mourns at least 161 deaths
Ranking
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Liz Cheney on whether Supreme Court will rule to disqualify Trump: We have to be prepared to defeat him at ballot box
- Golden Globes 2024: Angela Bassett Reveals If She's Tired of Doing the Thing
- Golden Globes 12 best dressed: Jaw-dropping red carpet looks from Selena Gomez, Margot Robbie, more
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Billie Eilish's Chic 2024 Golden Globes Look Proves She's Made for the Red Carpet
- See Bill Hader and Ali Wong Share a Passionate Kiss During Golden Globes 2024
- Emma Stone Makes Rare, Heartfelt Comment About Husband Dave McCary at the 2024 Golden Globes
Recommendation
Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
Full transcript of Face the Nation, Jan. 7, 2024
See Bill Hader and Ali Wong Share a Passionate Kiss During Golden Globes 2024
Tyre Nichols’ family to gather for vigil 1 year after police brutally beat him
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Investigators follow a digital trail – and the man in the hat – to solve the murder of a pregnant Tacoma woman
Chinese property firm Evergrande’s EV company says its executive director has been detained
New video shows Republican congressman scolding Jan. 6 rioters through barricaded House Chamber