A Washington family is pursuing legal action after 78-year-old Peggy Bryant died from a severe allergic reaction caused by a mislabeled cookie purchased at a local Safeway store.
Bryant, who had a known peanut allergy, believed she was buying oatmeal raisin cookies from the Safeway in Duvall. Shortly after eating one, she experienced a rapid onset of anaphylactic shock. Despite emergency response efforts, she passed away within the hour.
A medical examiner confirmed her cause of death as anaphylaxis. Investigators later found that the packaging on the cookies did not indicate the presence of peanuts, prompting Safeway’s parent company to issue a voluntary recall of the product from that store.
Bryant’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging negligence in labeling and failure to follow proper food safety protocols. They are calling for stricter oversight in food packaging and allergen warnings to prevent similar tragedies.
Lisa Bishop, Bryant’s daughter, said her mother’s death was both sudden and avoidable. The family hopes their legal action will bring awareness to the importance of accurate food labeling for individuals with life-threatening allergies.