A Florida woman has brought a lawsuit against Keely Farms Dairy after a harrowing ordeal that left her child seriously ill and resulted in the loss of her unborn baby. Rachel Maddox claims that she and her toddler fell victim to bacterial infections after consuming raw milk from the New Smyrna Beach farm, which health officials have linked to at least 21 cases of illness, as detailed by FOX 35 Orlando.
Maddox alleges that the unpasteurized milk she bought from an organic market in Longwood was improperly labeled, misguiding consumers to believe it could be consumed safely. According to an interview by ClickOrlando, Maddox was informed by a store clerk that a label indicating the product was "for consumption by animals" was merely a "technical requirement to sell 'farm milk.'"
Maddox's toddler first exhibited symptoms of severe illness, including "diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, chills, and resultant dehydration," which led to several hospitalizations in the span of weeks, the lawsuit filed in Seminole County stated. The child tested positive for E. coli and Campylobacter, suffered complications such as intussusception, and continues to require medical attention, as confirmed by ClickOrlando.
The resulting exposure led to Maddox contracting Campylobacter as well, a bacterium commonly associated with diarrheal illness. "I contracted the bacteria from cleaning up the diarrhea and vomiting," Maddox said, "As a mom, you get a lot of stuff on you when your kid is sick, and I became ill by contracting the bacteria that way." Unfortunately, her condition rapidly deteriorated and led to a miscarriage, as detailed by ClickOrlando.
The lawsuit emphasizes the danger posed by raw milk, which, under Florida law, can only legally be sold as animal feed. Still, Maddox argues that it was presented in a way that was misleading to consumers. According to the same lawsuit, the labeling did not convey its non-potability for human consumption. In her grievance, Maddox seeks justice through a jury trial, demanding compensation for the physical and mental anguish wrought by the incident, while aiming to prevent similar tragedies for others.
