An Indiana mother has brought a wrongful death lawsuit against food processor BrucePac, alleging that her 12-year-old daughter died after eating one of the company's recalled products. The complaint was filed in Indiana federal court and is believed to be the first of its kind tied to the recall.
What the lawsuit claims
The plaintiff, Shantria Weddle, alleges that her daughter, Iyhari Weddle, died of listeriosis on October 18, 2024, days after eating a pre-cooked chicken alfredo meal purchased from an Indiana Walmart. According to the filing, the girl had an underlying medical condition that may have heightened her vulnerability to the infection. The complaint states that both mother and daughter became ill after the meal.
These are allegations that have not been proven in court. BrucePac has the opportunity to respond, and the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
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The recall behind the case
In October, BrucePac recalled roughly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat poultry products over possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The company said the issue was discovered during routine testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. The recalled products reached shelves at several major retailers, including Trader Joe's, 7-Eleven and Wegmans.
Listeria is a bacteria that can cause serious illness, particularly in young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Federal health guidance treats it as a significant food-safety risk.
A large recall with wide reach
The recall was among the larger ready-to-eat poultry actions in recent memory. Ready-to-eat products are meant to be eaten without further cooking, which raises the stakes when contamination is suspected, because a consumer step that might kill bacteria is not part of the process. The affected items moved through national retail channels, meaning the recalled poultry could have reached households across many states before the alert.
Food-safety recalls of this size typically prompt retailers to pull products from shelves quickly and advise customers to discard or return affected items. The presence of a recalled item in a home freezer weeks later is one reason officials urge consumers to check recall notices against what they have already purchased.
What remains unconfirmed
At the time the lawsuit was reported, the USDA had not reported any illnesses or deaths officially linked to the BrucePac recall. That means the claim that the meal caused the death is an allegation the plaintiff will need to establish, not a finding by any agency or court.
Wrongful death cases in Indiana are governed by state statute, and the specific rules can vary depending on the age of the person who died. Cases involving the death of a child follow their own legal track, and establishing that a specific product caused a death generally requires medical and scientific evidence linking the illness to the item consumed.
What happens next
The case will proceed through federal court, where BrucePac will have the chance to answer the complaint. No ruling has been made on the allegations. TheTalkLounge will update this story as the litigation develops or if the company issues a public statement. Sign up free to keep up with The Talk Lounge.
