“New York Woman Dies After Eating Mislabeled Cookie: Órla Baxendale Victim of Undeclared Nuts in Stew Leonard’s Product”

(WTNH) – A tragic incident occurred earlier this month when a woman from New York lost her life after consuming a mislabeled cookie from a Connecticut supermarket. The victim, identified as Órla Baxendale, was a talented 25-year-old dancer. Her passing has prompted a law firm to prepare a civil complaint on her behalf.

According to a statement from the law firm of Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, Órla’s untimely death was a result of consuming a cookie manufactured by Cookies United and sold by Stew Leonard’s. Shockingly, the cookie contained undisclosed peanuts, to which Órla had a severe allergic reaction, leading to her demise on January 11.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and Consumer Protection (DCP) issued a warning and recall notice regarding the cookies. While the department did not directly attribute the victim’s death to the consumption of the mislabeled cookies, they stated that the incident “may be associated” with the food item.

The cookies in question were Vanilla Florentine Cookies, sold at Stew Leonard’s locations in Newington and Danbury. Investigations confirmed that these cookies, manufactured by Cookies United, contained undeclared peanuts. Stew Leonard’s has taken immediate action by removing all products produced by Cookies United from their shelves.

DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and emphasized the collaboration between DCP Food Investigators, the Department of Public Health, local health departments, officials in New York State and New Jersey, the Food and Drug Administration, and Stew Leonard’s to determine the cause of the error and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Customers with nut allergies are strongly advised to discard any cookies involved in the recall or return them to Stew Leonard’s for a refund. Additional information regarding the recalled product can be found on the Connecticut Department of Public Health website and the Stew Leonard’s website.

While plans are underway to file a civil complaint on behalf of Órla Baxendale, no official complaint has been filed as of Thursday morning, according to a representative from the law firm representing her.