NYC Dancer, 25, Dead After Eating Mislabeled Cookies With Peanuts
Órla Baxendale was a "vibrant" dancer trained for years at the Ailey School of Dance in New York City, her instructor told ABC7. Órla Baxendale, a dancer from New York City, died after eating cookies from Stew Leonard's, which she reportedly went into anaphylactic shock at a social gathering in Connecticut. The company claimed that the manufacturer, Cookies United, changed the cookies' recipe to include peanuts without notifying Stew Leonard’s. However, CookiesUnited refuted this claim, stating that Stew Leonard was notified by Cookies United in July of 2023 that the product now contains peanuts and all products shipped to them have been labeled accordingly. The product being recalled is Vanilla and Chocolate Florentine Cookies sold only at StewLeonard’S in Danbury and Newington, Connecticut from Nov. 6 through Dec. 31. Customers who bought the cookies should return them for a full refund.
Published : 3 months ago by Cailin Loesch in Entertainment
Órla Baxendale, who according to NBC Connecticut, joined a dance company in the state after earning her stripes in Manhattan, ate the cookies from Stew Leonard's, which has three locations in Connecticut.
Baxendale reportedly went into anaphylactic shock at a social gathering in Connecticut, the outlet reported, citing officials.
"For someone to leave us so young and so soon at the height of career is a tragedy," Guillermo Asca, Orla Baxendale's dance instructor at the Ailey School of Dance, told ABC7. "She was vibrant, dynamic, kooky, someone who didn't take herself seriously but took work seriously." In a video statement the company posted to its website, Stew Leonard's claimed that the manufacturer, Cookies United, changed the cookies' recipe to include peanuts without notifying Stew Leonard's.
Cookies United released its own statement in response on Tuesday, refuting this claim. "Unfortunately, considering the tragedy of these circumstances, we need to point out that Stew Leonard’s was notified by Cookies United in July of 2023 that this product now contains peanuts and all products shipped to them have been labeled accordingly," Cookies United wrote.
The cookies are "sold under the Stew Leonard’s brand and repackaged at their facilities. The incorrect label was created by, and applied to, their product by Stew Leonard's," Cookies United continued. In an updated press release shared Thursday, Stew Leonard's said that the product being recalled are Vanilla and Chocolate Florentine Cookies that were sold only at Stew Leonard’s in Danbury and Newington, Connecticut from Nov. 6 through Dec. 31.
"The cookies contain undeclared peanuts and eggs," the company said. "People with an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts or eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products." Stew Leonard's further stated that the company is "working with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and the supplier to determine the cause of the labeling error" and that customers who bought the cookies should return them for a full refund. "Our hearts ache for the passing of Órla Baxendale due to eating a cookie containing peanuts," Sung Poblete, Ph.D., RN, the CEO of the Food Allergy Research and Education nonprofit, said in a statement Thursday. "Her death is a stark reminder of the fear and reality that the more than 33 million Americans with life-threatening food allergies face every day." Poblete's statement continued, in part: "Her untimely passing on January 11 means that for her friends and family, they will never experience the awe and admiration of seeing Órla on stage again ... We stand in strong support of Órla’s family, and are determined to do everything possible to prevent future tragedies from happening whether that it is advocating for stronger food allergy training provisions at grocery stores and food manufacturers or funding food allergy research for new therapies and potentially a cure."