25-year-old dancer with peanut allergy dies after eating mislabeled cookies
A 25-year-old dancer who had severe nut allergy passed away after eating cookies that didn’t indicate peanuts on its ingredients list.
PEOPLE Magazine reported that Órla Baxendale, who had moved to New York from East Lancashire in England, died of anaphylactic shock on Jan. 11.
According to Mayo Clinic, during an anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis, the immune system releases a flood of chemicals, in which blood pressure drops suddenly and the airways narrow. Signs and symptoms include a rapid, weak pulse, a skin rash, as well as nausea and vomiting.
It can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to an allergen.
Baxendale’s lawyers, in a statement, said she was a “radiant and brave soul who pursued her dreams relentlessly, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who knew her.”
They also noted how she was “very careful and hyper-vigilant about everything she ate, and always thoroughly checked the ingredients on all packaging.”
“In addition, she always carried an EpiPen with her and surrounded herself with people who know how to administer one,” they said, referring to the brand of the auto-injectable device that delivers epinephrine, the drug that treats life-threatening, allergic emergencies.
When Baxendale had an anaphylaxis, an EpiPen was used but wasn’t effective due to the allergy’s severity.
Stew Leonard’s, the supermarket that sold the cookies that Baxendale consumed, issued a recall of 500 packs after the incident. It also asked customers with nut allergies to return the product for a full refund.
Its president Stew Leonard Jr. offered its condolences to Baxendale’s family, saying it’s a “sad day” for them and they’re “just all devastated.”
Leonard said wholesaler Cookies United manufactured the cookies, which Stew Leonard’s repackaged. He claimed the supplier changed the recipe from soy nuts to peanuts and didn’t notify them.
But Cookies United said that in July 2023, it notified Stew Leonard’s about its product already having peanuts and the proper labels.
The police and the health department of Connecticut are now investigating the incident.