How a simple cookie recipe tweak led to the death of a NYC ballet dancer, 25, in the 'prime of her life' READ MORE: Ballet dancer died after eating mislabeled cookies with peanuts By Emily Joshu Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 11:35 EDT, 30 May 2024 | Updated: 11:38 EDT, 30 May 2024 e-mail 12 View comments A new lawsuit has revealed how a simple cookie recipe tweak led to the death of a New York City ballet dancer 'in the prime of her life.' Órla Baxendale, 25, died on January 11 from anaphylactic shock after eating Vanilla Florentine Cookies from Connecticut grocery chain Stew Leonard's that contained 'undeclared peanuts,' according to the lawsuit filed last week .
Ms Baxendale, who is from the UK but lived in New York City, was 'hyper-vigilant about everything she ate' and carried an EpiPen. But her reaction was so severe that the medication was ineffective, according to the family's attorney Marijo D Adminey. Ms Baxendale's parents, Simon and Angela Baxendale, are now seeking to claim damages of at least $15,000.
The legal documents show that six months before the dancer's death, the cookies' manufacturer, Cookies United, changed the recipe to include peanuts but did not fix the ingredients label. Órla Baxendale, 25, suffered an allergic reaction to cookies from a Connecticut store so severe that not even her EpiPen could save her, lawyers said. 'Despite the email notification of these changes, (Stew Leonard’s) ignored the email and never changed the lab.
