Orla Baxendale. PHOTO: ORLA BAXENDALE/INSTAGRAM
The tragic death of 25-year-old dancer Órla Baxendale, who had a severe peanut allergy, has prompted investigations and recalls after she died from anaphylactic shock due to incorrectly labeled cookies. Baxendale, described as a radiant and brave soul, had moved to New York to pursue her dance career. Stew Leonard’s, the grocery retailer responsible for selling the cookies, expressed devastation and issued a recall of the product, partnering with the FDA. Despite Baxendale’s vigilance and carrying an EpiPen, her allergy proved too severe for the medication to be effective. Conflicting statements have emerged between Stew Leonard’s and the cookie supplier, Cookies United, regarding notification of the ingredient change. The incident has spurred investigations by authorities in Connecticut and calls for improved food allergy awareness and labeling standards to prevent similar tragedies. The community mourns Baxendale’s loss and strives for measures to ensure such errors are avoided in the future.
#FoodSafety #AllergyAwareness #PreventTragedy #JusticeForOrla #LabelingMatters