- Did your child eat commercial baby food?
- Has your child been diagnosed with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
- You may be entitled to compensation.
The attorneys at Pendley, Baudin & Coffin represent hundreds of clients in litigation alleging their children suffered the neurological injury of either autism spectrum disorder or ADHD from consuming commercial baby food products contaminated with heavy metals. Toxic heavy metals (such as arsenic and lead) are known neurotoxins and are especially toxic to the developing brains of babies and toddlers.
The defendants in the lawsuits are Beech-Nut Nutrition, Campbell (Plum Organics), Walmart (Parent’s Choice), Hain Celestial (Earth’s Best Organic Food Products), Sprout Foods, Gerber Products, Nurture, Inc. (Happy Family Organics, HappyBABY). If your child consumed commercial baby food products from these manufactures and has been diagnosed with autism or ADHD, you may be eligible to participate in the toxic baby food litigation.
Partner Tracy Turner was appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in the toxic baby food multi-district litigation and manages the firm’s cases.
Toxic Heavy Metals in Baby Food Is a Public Health Concern
In 2019, Happy Babies Bright Futures (“HBBF”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the exposure of toxic chemicals to babies published a report https://hbbf.org/report/whats-in-my-babys-food after investigating the levels of toxic heavy metals in commercial baby foods. The HBBF tested 168 commercial baby food products and found that 95% of the products were contaminated with one or more toxic heavy metals.
In 2021, the United States House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform published a report https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2021-02-04%20ECP%20Baby%20Food%20Staff%20Report.pdf finding dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals in commercial baby food products manufactured by several companies.
In January 2025, the FDA issued guidelines for reducing lead exposure to babies and young children through processed foods in its “Closer to Zero” initiative https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/closer-zero-reducing-childhood-exposure-contaminants-foods In addition, several states including California, Maryland and Illinois have approved or proposed litigation addressing the levels of toxic heavy metals in baby foods, and the Texas Attorney General is investigating baby food manufactures for selling products contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals.
