EDWARDSVILLE — The parents of children who were born prematurely and given Simlac and Enfamil formula claim the milk-based products caused their babies to develop serious long-term health effects.
Jahaana Dillard, on her own behalf and as representative of the Estate of Moses Dillard, Rebecca Hoff, on her own behalf and as representative of the Estate of Nivla Reaux, Michelle McCoy, on her own behalf and as representative of the Estate of Kameron McCoy, and others filed a complaint May 24 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Mead Johnson & Company LLC, Mead Johnson Nutrition Company and Abbot Laboratories, alleging strict liability for design defect, strict liability for failure to warn, negligence, intentional misrepresentation and negligent misrepresentation.
The plaintiffs, whose newborn's were born prematurely and given the defendants' cow's milk-based infant formula shortly after birth, claim the formula caused the infants to develop necrotizing enterocolitis. They allege the defendants' Similac and Enfamil formula caused the premature infants to develop the "life-altering disease" and will also cause them to suffer long-term health effects.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants falsely marketed their infant formulas as "medically endorsed" and "nutritionally equivalent" to mother's breast milk. They further claim the defendants failed to warn of the dangers and extreme risk to premature infants.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by Eric Holland and Robert Evola of The Holland Law Firm LLC in St. Louis, Ann Callis of The Holland Law Firm LLC in Granite City and Travis Lenkner and Ashley Keller of Keller Lenkner LLC in Chicago.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 21-L-000621