The family of Órla Baxendale, a 25-year-old dancer who died after eating a mislabeled cookie from Stew Leonard's, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Connecticut grocery chain, alleging negligence led to her fatal allergic reaction.
Baxendale, who had a severe peanut allergy, bought a vanilla Florentine cookie from Stew Leonard's in Danbury, Connecticut, in January 2024. The cookie's ingredient label did not list peanuts, which authorities say were present in the product. After eating the cookie, Baxendale suffered anaphylaxis and died. Her family now seeks damages for funeral expenses, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
A Dispute Over Responsibility
The lawsuit names Stew Leonard's as a defendant, but the case has also sparked a public dispute between the retailer and its supplier, Cookies United. Stew Leonard's initially claimed it was not informed of a recipe change that introduced peanuts into the Florentine cookies. Cookies United countered that it had notified the retailer multiple times and that Stew Leonard's was responsible for printing its own in-store labels.
Regulators including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection launched investigations following Baxendale's death. Stew Leonard's later recalled the cookies from its stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.
Calls for Stronger Safeguards
Beyond financial compensation, Baxendale's family is demanding that Stew Leonard's overhaul its labeling and supplier verification protocols. Their attorneys argue that stronger safeguards could have prevented the error and that food retailers have a duty to protect customers with life-threatening allergies.
The case highlights ongoing gaps in food allergen labeling even after the passage of federal laws such as the Food Allergy Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and the 2021 Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act, which added sesame to the list of major allergens requiring disclosure.
An Ongoing Fight for Accountability
Baxendale, originally from Manchester, England, had built a career as a dancer and performer in New York. Her death prompted widespread grief among friends, colleagues, and the food allergy advocacy community, many of whom have called for criminal accountability in addition to civil penalties.
The lawsuit remains active. No trial date has been set, and it is unclear whether additional defendants will be named.
