Georgia woman suing carrot company after reported E. coli infection
SAVANNAH, Ga. - A Georgia woman is suing a major California carrot company connected with E. coli outbreak after she claims she got seriously sick from their vegetables.
Melinda Pratt, a Savannah mother of three, says she bought the Bunny Luv Fresh Organic Carrots on Sept. 30, 2024 from her local Sam's Club.
After eating the carrots, Pratt says she started suffering from bloody diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
In her lawsuit, Pratt said that she thought she could get through her symptoms, but they kept getting worse, and she was eventually hospitalized for three days in October.
"I genuinely thought at some point that I was slowly dying," Pratt told NBC News.
During her stay in the hospital, Pratt claims she learned she had tested positive for shiga toxin producing E. coli, which Georgia health officials reportedly connected to the carrots.
"Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can be severely dangerous to humans. Any consumer still in possession of any of these carrots should dispose of them immediately and contact their doctor if experiencing symptoms of E. coli infection," said attorney Ron Simpon, who is representing Pratt and other victims in the lawsuit. "Through this and other lawsuits we are going to make sure that all of the victims are fairly and fully compensated for their injuries, and that Grimmway Farms takes steps to prevent this from ever happening again."
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Melinda Pratt (Ron Simon & Associates)
Carrots recall over E.coli contamination
Altogether, 39 people were infected and 15 were hospitalized in 18 states after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.
Grimmway Farms, based in Bakersfiled, California, has recalled the carrots, which included whole and baby organic carrots sold in bags under multiple brand names including 365, Cal-Organic, Nature’s Promise, O-Organics, Trader Joe’s and Wegmans, among others.
The carrots are no longer in stores, but the CDC is warning consumers to not eat recalled bag carrots and to check their refrigerators or freezers and throw away any carrots that fit the description. Most of the infected people live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed by California and Oregon, although infections have been reported in states throughout the country, according to the CDC.
While Pratt claims that she became sick from the carrots, the CDC's map still shows zero cases in Georgia.
The recalled organic baby carrots have best-by dates ranging from Sept. 11 through Nov. 12, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Symptoms of E. coli infection usually start three to four days after eating the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. People with severe symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell the provider what they ate, the CDC said.
The bacteria E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.