Mother dies after eating frozen blueberries from Publix, lawsuit says

CLEARWATER, Fla. (Gray News) — A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed after a Florida woman died from allegedly eating contaminated blueberries from Publix.

According to a news release from Morgan & Morgan, Karla Mullins died on June 20 after eating frozen blueberries purchased at a Publix store in Largo, Florida.

Mullins’ son also ate the same GreenWise Organic frozen blueberries and was hospitalized with serious injuries, according to the news release.

The blueberries were later identified as part of a recall linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak.

According to the FDA, the recalled product was shipped to Publix retail stores throughout 8 states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The initial recall of the blueberries was issued July 3, about two weeks after Mullins died. The recall was later expanded on July 29 to cover all lots of GreenWise organic whole blueberries and whole mixed berries.

On Monday, the CDC and FDA declared the outbreak over. A total of 17 people were sickened with several hospitalized, the FDA said.

The lawsuit, filed in Pinellas County Circuit Court, names both Publix and distributor Quirch Foods as defendants. The lawsuit alleges they are liable for the “defective and unreasonably dangerous condition of the product.”

“This family lost a treasured mother and wife because a product that was supposed to be safe was contaminated with a dangerous and deadly pathogen,” said Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Christian Leger. “Karla Mullins should be alive today. We intend to hold Publix and Quirch Foods fully accountable for the role they played in putting this product on store shelves and into the hands of unsuspecting customers.”

Publix has been contacted for comment.