The parents of a baby girl who was only 13 days old when she died after officials said she drank tainted formula last year can move ahead with a lawsuit against mega-manufacturer Abbott Nutrition.
Kentucky newborn Willow Jade Dellaquila died on Nov. 5, 2023, after she was infected with a dangerous germ that caused a stroke on the right side of her brain, her mother said this week.
The deadly bacteria, cronobacter sakazakii, can be traced to a can of Similac Total Comfort powdered formula used in the baby’s bottles, records show.
“It’s really heartbreaking,” Cheyenne Ping, 25, said.
“No one should have to go through this.”
Abbott was forced to shut down a Sturgis, Mich., plant in 2022 when inspections found widespread contamination at the facility after similar reports of infant deaths and illnesses.
Abbott must pay $495M in damages after girl develops dangerous disease from premature infant formula
The temporary closure sent parents scrambling to find baby formula .
Ping and little Willow’s father, Christian Dellaquila, 26, were allowed to move forward with a lawsuit against Abbott, an Illinois judge determined on Wednesday.