After her 17-month-old daughter was taken to intensive care with a dangerous E. coli infection, a California mother's saved text exchanges with a local goat farm helped investigators, ProPublica reported.
Another child was later hospitalized after drinking milk from the farm.
Here's what to know
Brooklyn, Emily Marris' toddler daughter, became violently ill June 2 after months of drinking raw goat milk that Marris bought from Moonlight Ridge in Riverside County.
Investigators learned that Marris found the farm through a Facebook group run by her chiropractor and that the operation was not licensed to sell raw milk for human consumption, per ProPublica.
Doctors diagnosed Brooklyn with E. coli O157:H7 and hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication that can harm the kidneys and other organs.
Milk from the farm was also linked to the hospitalization of 6-year-old Victoria Galindo, who was admitted to Rady Children's Hospital on June 13 with the same condition, according to ProPublica.
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In California, dairies can legally sell raw milk for people to consume only if they are licensed and comply with inspections, sanitation requirements, and pathogen screening. In this instance, the milk was unlabeled and sold without that license.
Raw milk offers no proven nutritional edge over pasteurized milk and poses over 100 times the risk of foodborne illness, the outlet noted.
More background
Texts investigators reviewed indicated the farmer, Courtney Baker, knew from the beginning that Brooklyn was drinking the milk.
Marris turned to raw goat milk while looking for something her daughter could tolerate after worrying about formula additives and finding that cow's milk caused constipation, and she later texted Baker, according to ProPublica, "She is gobbling it down!"
On June 5, after Brooklyn had been hospitalized, Marris messaged Baker to inform her that doctors suspected the milk was the cause of her sickness.
"I am so incredibly sorry to hear she is going through this," Baker replied, though her testing hadn't included E. coli detection, as ProPublica reported.
Then, Marris saw Baker was continuing to promote the milk in the Facebook group.
"I have raw goat milk from a clean-tested herd in wine country. … We milk 2x a day so it is always super fresh," the post read — after Baker was alerted to the children's illnesses, according to the report.
Foodborne pathogens are invisible, and illnesses linked to contaminated dairy can progress from stomach symptoms to organ failure within days.
What's being done?
Investigators from the California Department of Food and Agriculture went to Moonlight Ridge on June 20, issued a cease-and-desist order, and cited the farm for operating a food facility without a valid permit, per ProPublica.
On June 21, officials took a half-gallon sample that Baker said represented milk from 11 goats, and tests came back negative for several pathogens.
Authorities did not seek criminal penalties, though California law allows fines of up to $10,000 and as much as a year behind bars for unlicensed raw milk sales for human consumption, ProPublica noted.
"Issuing a cease-and-desist order almost always results in a product being removed from the market more rapidly than a criminal referral," department spokesperson Devon Keeler said.
Marris gave investigators screenshots and hospital records, and she and the Galindo family sued Baker and the farm in Riverside County Superior Court, ProPublica reported. The children were released from care but will require continued monitoring. The case is ongoing.
In a post on Facebook that got her suspended from the group, Marris warned other parents.
"Just PLEASE PLEASE educate yourself and make choices about raw milk carefully. My 17-month-old baby and one other little girl almost died last month from raw goats milk," she wrote. "I'm posting this so you know what can truly happen if the milk has bacteria....know the risks, and make your own personal choices."
Where can I learn more?
Contaminated food — especially raw milk — can make people seriously ill. These stories cover an outbreak in Idaho, misinformation about raw milk, and E. coli concerns in beef.
• In Idaho, 60 people fell ill after raw milk from two dairies spread an infection.
• A dietitian warned pregnant people that popular raw milk claims can mask serious dangers.
• The USDA warned restaurants after tainted beef shipped to them raised E. coli fears.
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