Additional Coverage:
- Washington grandma collapses and dies after eating cookie as family sues Safeway for $9.5 million (themirror.com)
Duvall, WA—A local family is suing Safeway for $9.5 million after their 78-year-old grandmother died from eating a mislabeled cookie. Margaret Jean “Peggy” Bryant, who was allergic to peanuts, purchased what she believed to be an oatmeal raisin cookie from the Duvall Safeway on April 7, 2023.
After eating the cookie, Mrs. Bryant became ill and went into cardiac arrest.
She tragically passed away shortly after.
According to the family’s legal team, the cookies Mrs. Bryant purchased were actually peanut butter cookies, incorrectly labeled as oatmeal raisin by the store’s bakery staff.
An autopsy confirmed that Mrs. Bryant died from food-induced anaphylaxis and peanut toxicity due to the mislabeled cookies.
The incident prompted a health department inspection and a subsequent product recall by Safeway.
The Bryant family is devastated by the loss. In a statement, they described Peggy as a vibrant and loving woman with many years left to enjoy with her family.
Just shy of their 60th wedding anniversary, Mrs. Bryant’s husband, Dennis, found her unresponsive after she consumed the cookie.
Mrs. Bryant’s daughter, Lisa Bishop, spoke with local news station KBTX, urging Safeway to address its labeling procedures to prevent similar tragedies. “Labels are there for a reason,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of accurate labeling to prevent further suffering and loss.