The dance community is mourning the loss of 25-year-old dancer, Órla Baxendale, after she tragically passed away in New York City. Baxendale, who had moved from Manchester, England to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer, suffered a fatal anaphylactic shock after consuming a poorly packaged cookie that contained an allergen she was sensitive to.
According to reports, Baxendale was on a rehearsal break when she ate the cookie and experienced a severe allergic reaction. Despite her cautiousness in checking food labels and always carrying an epinephrine injector, the cookie’s packaging failed to accurately list its ingredients, leaving her unable to effectively use the lifesaving device.
Her family’s lawyer, Marijo C. Adimey, issued a statement detailing the events and expressing their devastation over the loss of Baxendale. The lawyer also highlighted the negligence and recklessness of the cookie manufacturer and sellers in failing to properly disclose the product’s contents.
The supermarket chain that sold the problematic cookies attempted to shift blame by claiming they were purchased from an external distributor and that the manufacturers had changed the recipe without their knowledge. However, the cookie company, Cookies United, refuted this, stating that they had informed the supermarket about the recipe change and that the products were correctly labeled. They attributed the incorrect labeling to the supermarket’s own error.
Baxendale’s tragic death serves as a reminder of the serious implications of food allergy mishandling and the importance of accurate food labeling to prevent similar incidents in the future. The dance community and beyond mourn the loss of a promising talent and advocate for improved food safety standards.