A Southern California family has filed a lawsuit after their 3-year-old daughter allegedly developed acute kidney failure tied to an E. coli outbreak connected to beef served at The Kebab Shop.
The complaint, filed Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court, claims Costa Mesa resident Jeffrey Gogue purchased a chicken plate and a beef kofta plate from The Kebab Shop at 1555 Adams Ave. on March 28.
According to the lawsuit, the family shared part of the meal with the child, identified only as “KG.”
By the next day, the girl began suffering from “bloody diarrhea, nausea and vomiting,” court papers said.
Her condition rapidly worsened in the following days and she was admitted to hospital on April 3, where she remained for 17 days, the suit says.
The suit comes as federal health officials investigate a broader E. coli outbreak linked to beef kofta sold at Kebab Shop locations across California between March 27 and April 30.
The California Department of Public Health has identified nine illnesses connected to the outbreak as of May 19, including six children.
Five people were hospitalized, and two victims developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe condition that damages red blood cells and platelets and can trigger kidney failure, according to the lawsuit.
Health investigators traced the illnesses to grilled beef kofta sold at both Northern and Southern California locations of the Mediterranean chain after interviewing infected customers.
The lawsuit names both The Kebab Shop and supplier Olympia Foods as defendants.
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Attorneys accuse the companies of strict products liability, negligence and breach of implied warranties, alleging contaminated meat was sold as safe for consumption.
The Kebab Shop said Sunday it has severed ties with Olympia Foods following the outbreak investigation.
“Both the California Department of Public Health and USDA confirmed that there are no reported cases of E. coli outside California possibly linked to this E. coli outbreak, and that there is no ongoing risk to consumers because this product was voluntarily removed by TKS nationwide on May 18,’’ the company said in a statement.
Food Poisoning Ron Simon estimated the family could face “hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital bills,” with additional costs possible if the child’s kidney condition deteriorates further.