Pennsylvania woman's family sues over her death after eating peanut butter

[PA Democrat]

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A lawsuit will be filed claiming a New Castle woman died and her husband was sickened after eating Peter Pan peanut butter that has since been recalled, WTAE Channel 4 Action News has learned.

The suit will be filed Wednesday in Lawrence County on behalf of Roberta and William Barkay, attorney Rob Peirce told Channel 4 Action News reporter Jake Ploeger.

<snip>

According to the lawsuit, the Barkays bought four jars of the peanut butter in late November, and William Barkay became hospitalized after eating some of it around Thanksgiving.

In early January, Roberta Barkay ate some of the peanut butter and became violently ill, according to the lawsuit. She died Jan. 30.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/11073263/detail.html

[brentblack]

1. Hmmmmm

They bought 4 jars (who the hell buys more than one jar at a time?) and one family member got violently ill in November.

They kept the others and then someone else got sick????


Sounds like Darwin was just hanging around waiting for these Brainiacs.

/Rob Peirce sounds like an ambulance chasing douche bag
/that is all

[PA Democrat]

2. No one was aware of the salmonella contamination in November.

It was only reported to the public in FEBRUARY.

Blame the victim much? Try reading the article before you pass judgement.

[Bunny]

4. Perhaps they bought a big four pack at Sam's Club or something?

A lot of people do that because it's economical.

And perhaps when the first one got sick, but the second didn't get sick until TWO MONTHS later, that maybe they didn't make the connection about the peanut butter?

And when the third one got sick, perhaps they only made the connection to peanut butter because that's all she had eaten that day?

When I have thought about salmonella, I never once connected it to peanut butter . But since you're apparently perfect, I guess these little things can't possibly happen to you. :eyes:

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Sometimes people buy things in bulk. I know as a family with limited income when we have a little

extra money we buy extra meat and pb and the like and store it for those times we don't have money and need something to eat.

[DainBramaged]

7. I do the same for the same reasons

PBJ sandwiches are a good filler when the fridge is empty.

[etherealtruth]

8. I buy larger quantities ...

... of some items when they are on sale!

When someone becomes ill from a food borne illness it is often difficult to accurately track down the offending food ...especially when the illness is not so severe as to seek medical care (obviously, you can immediately tell the difference between infection with a noro virus and food born illness ... most require definitive lab tests).

[Horse with no Name]

12. When Kroger has their "Buy 10 for 10"

I usually stock up. Peanut Butter is generally one of the items that they offer.
If someone in my family got sick from the peanut butter...it wouldn't DAWN on me what it was because I assume that people eat more than one thing a day so to point and have an "AHA!" moment is kind of overrated, don't you think?
And...if our staple food supply starts killing off our citizens...then I say sue the pants off of them.
The only thing that hurts these corporations is the bottom line and that is the only incentive for them to not let it happen again.

[WinkyDink]

19. I guess you've never heard of buying multiple goods on sale?

And since nobody yet knows HOW the PB got laced with salmonella, I think it's a bit high-horsey to assume the victims would have made the connection.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Wow, since November, I've gone through more 50 jars of Peter Pan.

Most of mine, 46 in-stock as of last Wednesday, were the '2111' product number. Still eating it with no affect... maybe I should ask Peter Pan if they need a witness to counter the suit.

[PA Democrat]

6. I would get rid of that peanut butter if you still have any.

You don't want salmonella poisoning. My husband had a bad case several years ago. It can be really nasty and cause other health problems.

[judaspriestess]

10. we had some peanut butter of the same stock also

my SO ate some and did not get sick. I threw it away just in case.

[tammywammy]

18. A local news station

tested 12 jars. Some were opened, some not, and a couple of the jars people swore they got sick from it. None of the jars tested positive for salmonella.

[WinkyDink]

20. Keep eating it.

[SaveElmer]

9. If the Peanut Butter was the cause...they have a case...nt

[Skarbrowe]

11. I had a jar of the 2111 series also. Threw it away just in case.

Strange thing is, I always buy another brand. I have no memory of buying the Peter Pan brand because it was a few months old. Maybe my roommate bought it because she is the one who eats the P&J sandwiches for lunch. Sometimes I get a craving for one and I also remember thinking it tasted better than the brand I usually buy.

Obviously not all jars of the peanut butter were contaminated. The one I threw away was over half empty and we're both still here.

Oh, and it's true about the bulk thing. My roommate usually buys 2 of the double packs at Costco. She does like her peanut butter.

Very sorry about this family whether it was the peanut butter or not.

[poverlay]

13. I get my pb at Trader Joes. Highly recommend it. It blows Peter P. out of the water. Oh yeah, and

my son can go through a jar in a week so I frequently by at least two. Sometimes I buy even more. Like for my yummy "Pacific Rim Coleslaw". or my peanut butter cookies.

I wish I could offer everyone some~ they're delicious.

Hope my offering everyone cookies isn't inappropriate with the death of Mrs. Barkay and all. I'll hope they win the lawsuit...

[WI_DEM]

14. do they have the PB to test it?

[PA Democrat]

15. I don't know.

The article doesn't say and the report I saw on local TV didn't mention it either.

[thethinker]

16. I also had a jar of 2111 Peter Pan

Mine was still in the pantry unopened.

[PA Democrat]

17. Update on story from local news.

The woman was never tested for salmonella when she became sick. Sounds like her husband was not tested for salmonella poisoning either when he became ill and was hospitalized 2 months earlier. And at the time that both became ill, there had been no warning about possible salmonella poisoning and Peter Pan peanut butter.

Salmonella poisoning can be mistaken for a lot of other things including a stomach flu.