A young dancer, aged 25, lost their life in New York City after mistakenly ingesting a cookie that was inaccurately labeled and concealed peanuts without disclosure. The cookie, produced by Cookies United and retailed by a local supermarket, has sparked a dispute between the store and the wholesaler, leading to a blame game. The dancer, Orla Baxendale, died of a severe allergic reaction causing an anaphylactic shock on January 11, as confirmed by her family lawyer.
The investigation uncovered what the family’s attorney describes as “gross negligence and reckless conduct” by the manufacturer and seller for failing to list allergens on the packaging properly. “This tragic yet entirely preventable outcome has profoundly impacted her family, friends, and the entire artistic community,” Marijo Adimey of Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf said.
The firm added that an investigation by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Food, Standards and Product Safety Division and Stew Leonard’s revealed that the Vanilla Florentine cookies, made by Cookies United and repackaged to represent the store’s brand, contained peanuts, which weren’t listed on the packaging. The cookie also included eggs, which can cause severe allergic reactions for people with specific allergies.
During the January 11 incident, Baxendale consumed one of the cookies at a party and experienced an anaphylactic shock. She had an EpiPen with her and used it, but it was too late. The victim, who moved from the UK to New York in 2018 to train at the Ailey School, had been a professional ballet, contemporary, and Irish step dancer for six years.
In a Tuesday press release, the cookie manufacturer claimed that it notified Stew Leonard’s of a recipe change to include peanuts in July 2023 and that the cookies were labeled accordingly. However, the supermarket denied that claim in a video statement on Wednesday and issued a recall for the cookies.
The cookie, distributed at Stew Leonard’s stores in Danbury and Newington, contained undeclared peanuts and eggs, which can cause severe allergic reactions for some people with specific allergies, according to the Department of Consumer Protection. The department and the supermarket are investigating the incident in partnership with officials from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, as well as the FDA and Stew Leonard’s.
Stew Leonard recalled the cookies on Tuesday and replaced them with another brand. The company’s website says the recalled cookies were available online, in-store, and in its catering service. The company apologized for the inconvenience and has a full refund policy. Anyone who has purchased the cookies should contact the store for more information. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Food, Standards, and Products Safety Division has urged anyone who has an adverse allergic reaction to eat the cookies to throw them away immediately. The company also offered a statement on its Facebook page saying it was reworking its food safety policies. The firm has not filed a lawsuit.