HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A 25-year-old professional dancer from England who moved to New York City to pursue her career has died after eating a mislabeled cookie containing peanuts, part of a batch that has since been recalled.
The grocery retailer Stew Leonard’s announced Tuesday that Vanilla Florentine Cookies sold in its stores in Danbury and Newington in Connecticut from Nov. 6 to Dec. 31 were being recalled in partnership with the Food and Drug Administration. The company said about 500 packages of the holiday cookies were sold.
The person who died was identified as Órla Baxendale, a law firm representing her interests said Thursday.
“Her passion for dance extended well beyond a single discipline as she was an exquisite ballet, contemporary, and Irish step dancer,” read an online obituary for Baxendale, who was born in East Lancashire.
She died Jan. 11 after suffering anaphylactic shock resulting from a severe allergic reaction, according to a post on the website for Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf.