In a heartbreaking turn of events, 25-year-old professional dancer Órla Baxendale lost her life after consuming a Vanilla Florentine cookie incorrectly labelled as peanut-free. The fatal incident occurred on January 11, sparking concerns about the accuracy of food labelling.

Órla experienced anaphylactic shock shortly after consuming the mislabelled cookie purchased from Stew Leonard’s. The product, manufactured by Cookies United and sold by the popular grocery store, had been wrongly marked as peanut-free, leading Órla to believe it was safe for consumption.

Preliminary investigations point to “gross negligence” in the failure to accurately identify allergens on the packaging, resulting in this devastating and preventable tragedy.

A statement from the legal representatives of Órla’s family emphasized the consequences of this oversight: “This failure in proper disclosure has led to this devastating yet preventable outcome.”

The tragedy prompted the recall of Vanilla Florentine Cookies from Stew Leonard’s stores in Danbury and Newington, CT, for the period of November 6 – December 31, 2023.

Órla, originally from Manchester, UK, had established herself as a professional dancer in New York, performing at prestigious events such as New York Fashion Week and various productions at Lincoln Center.

Stew Leonard’s expressed shock and sorrow, stating they were unaware of any ingredient changes in the cookies. However, wholesaler Cookies United contradicted this claim, asserting that Stew Leonard’s had been informed of the addition of peanuts in July 2023.

In a poignant video statement, Stew Leonard Jr., the CEO of Stew Leonard’s, conveyed the family’s devastation and sorrow, expressing empathy for what Órla’s family must be going through.

The tragic incident raises critical questions about the accuracy of food labelling and the potential consequences of inadequate disclosure.