Woman Sues FL Dairy Farm At Center Of E. Coli Outbreak

SEMINOLE COUNTY, FL — A Seminole County woman is suing a New Smyrna Beach dairy farm after claiming raw milk from the farm sickened her toddler and led to her losing her unborn child, NBC News reported Monday.

Rachel Maddox filed the lawsuit on Aug. 13 in Seminole County against Keely Farms Dairy, the focus of a Campylobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreak in Florida, according to the NBC and USA Today.

The Florida Department of Health on Aug. 4 advised STEC and campylobacter infections have been linked to Keely Farms in Volusia County.

Maddox, who was around 20 weeks pregnant, said she purchased Keely Farms milk in early June from the Wild Hare Natural Market in Longwood, USA Today reported.

A label on the milk stated it was for animal consumption, not human; a label Maddox was told was a mandate for selling the farm milk, the lawsuit claimed, per NBC.

It is unlawful to sell raw milk for consumption by humans in Florida. Public health officials say raw milk can solely be sold as pet or animal food.

"Containers must have a label clearly stating that the raw milk is for animal consumption only," public health officials said.

At the time of consumption, Maddox was unaware of the potential contamination connected to the milk, which she claimed led to her toddler being hospitalized three times, NBC reported. The toddler suffered diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, chills and dehydration, the lawsuit claimed, per NBC.

The toddler was diagnosed with E. coli and campylobacter and was hospitalized for four days in June due to severe gastroenteritis, NBC reported.

Maddox was hospitalized on June 13 and was diagnosed with Campylobacter, which she contracted while taking care of the toddler, USA Today reported, citing the lawsuit. Five days later, she was diagnosed with sepsis, and her unborn child died, the report says.

Keely Farms and Wild Hare Natural Market have not publicly commented on the allegations.

Florida Outbreak

Since Jan. 24, public health officials said there have been 21 infections, including six children younger than age 10.

Seven people have been hospitalized due to the farm's raw milk, and in at least two cases, there have been severe complications, public health officials said.

Campylobacter is a bacterial illness that could form in the intestines, liver and other organs of animals and cause diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the bacteria can transfer from animals to humans.

Meanwhile, STEC bacteria can turn deadly for some people, according to the California Department of Public Health.

STEC is contracted after humans eat or drink "something that has been contaminated with animal or human poop, or by accidentally swallowing tiny amounts of poop after having contact with infected animals, animal areas, untreated water or other people infected with STEC bacteria."

"STEC bacteria in its most severe form can result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is characterized by hemolysis and kidney failure, which is of particular concern for children. Groups at higher risk for severe illness include infants and young children, pregnant women, elderly individuals and those with weakened immune systems," public health officials said.