An eight-month-old baby suffered left brain damage after contracting meningitis from a bacteria in his baby food.
Baby Mira White of Sikeston, Missouri, was tragically infected with Cronobacter sakazakii, an invasive bacteria that triggered a recall of certain powdered baby foods in 2022.
Mira and another Kentucky baby who tragically died in November as a result of the infection both consumed powdered infant formula from Abbott Nutrition, the company at the center of last year's crisis.
Premature baby Mira White was diagnosed with a brain infection caused by bacteria found in her formula in early March when she was just six weeks old.
The bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii was detected in an open container of Similac NeoSure formula in her home.
Baby Mira White of Sikeston, Missouri, suffered damage to the left side of her brain after contracting meningitis from bacteria found in baby food
Now her mother Asian Davis (pictured) is suing Abbott, the formula's manufacturer, claiming she was sold a defective product
Mira's mother, Asian Davis, is now suing Abbott, saying the company sold her a defective product and that it should have warned parents of premature babies that powdered formula could cause serious illness.
However, Abbott has denied that the bacteria came from the product.
Investigations revealed that the bacteria were not detected in unopened cans of Similac NeoSure formula from Mira's home.
The bacteria occur naturally in the environment and can get into infant formula after the packaging is opened.
FDA investigators also said they had found “no causal relationship” between Mira’s infection and the Casa Grande, Arizona, factory that made the formula for premature babies.
Abbott officials said they found no Cronobacter in batches of formula at the plant.
FDA officials said there was no evidence that the two infections in infants were related to manufacturing and they saw no reason for new recalls.
“There is currently no evidence of a broader public health concern related to this product,” the FDA said in a statement.
In March, 33-year-old Asian Davis noticed a difference in her daughter just days after giving Mira the formula.
“She stopped eating and sucking,” Davis, who has four older children, told Fox 4.
“That maternal instinct kicked in and I said, 'There's something wrong with my baby.'
After several different tests, doctors diagnosed Mira with bacterial meningitis caused by Cronobacter sakazakii, which was found in her spinal fluid and blood.
Brain scans showed neurological damage and missing tissue caused by the infection.
Since her illness, Mira has suffered from almost constant seizures and inconsolable crying fits.
“It affected her brain very badly,” Davis said. “It will grow, but it will be slow progress.”
The bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii was detected in an open container of Similac NeoSure formula in her home
In March, Davis noticed a difference in her daughter just days after feeding Mira formula
“She will need surgery, she may need a wheelchair,” Davis said. “Maybe she’ll need this stuff for the rest of her life,” she explained.
“It affected her brain very badly,” Davis said. “It will grow, but it will be slow progress.”
Davis said she is suing to raise awareness about the dangers of the rare bacteria – and to financially support Mira's future care.
“She will need surgery, she may need a wheelchair,” Davis said. “Maybe she’ll need this stuff for the rest of her life,” she explained.
In Kentucky, the FDA said it found “no evidence” of contamination after a Nov. 21 inspection at an Abbott plant.
However, former FDA official Frank Yiannas said a negative test is no guarantee that there is no contamination.
“A positive test result means a lot.” “A negative test result means nothing,” he explained.
Last year, federal investigators closed an Abbot formula factory in Sturgis, Michigan, after four infants were infected with the bacteria and two of them died.
Inspectors found widespread contamination at the facility.