Similac Lawsuit Filed After Newborn Suffered Fatal Case of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)
Lawsuit against Similac alleges baby formula caused NEC and wrongful death days after premature newborn was fed cow’s milk formula in NICU

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the makers of Similac, alleging that the baby formula caused necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious intestinal disease that resulted in the death of a premature infant.
The complaint (PDF) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on May 14, by Alicia Restad and Daniel Renteria-Hernandez, indicating that Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson & Company, LLC are responsible for the loss of their newborn child, Daniel Renteria-Hernandez.
According to the lawsuit, baby Daniel was born on April 29, 2019 at Dignity Hospital in Merced, California. He was premature, with a birth weight of only two pounds and two ounces after only 31 weeks of pregnancy and was put in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Valley Children’s Hospital.
BABY FORMULA NEC LAWSUITS
Was your premature child fed Similac or Enfamil?
Premature infants fed Similac or Enfamil cow’s milk formula face an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or wrongful death.


BABY FORMULA NEC LAWSUITS
Was your premature child fed Similac or Enfamil?
Premature infants fed Similac or Enfamil cow’s milk formula face an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or wrongful death.
At only 16 days, Daniel died from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which the parents blame Similac fed to him during his short life.
Necrotizing enterocolitis is an intestinal disorder resulting in inflammation and necrosis of intestinal tissues. It is usually diagnosed in premature babies and can be life-threatening. Symptoms can include a bloated abdominal area, green-tinged vomiting and blood stools.
The lawsuit points out that NEC has been linked to formula being fed to preterm infants since at least 1990, at which point a study indicated feeding them formula exclusively increased the risk of the ailment by up to a factor of 10, when compared to those given breast milk alone. A number of similar studies have followed through the years, and in 2012 the American Academy of Pediatrics warned that all premature infants should be fed human breast milk exclusively.
According to the lawsuit, the manufacturer fails to adequately warn about the link between Similac and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with safety warnings only indicating that very low-birth-weight infants were susceptible to “gastrointestinal complications” when fed the formula.
“Science and research have advanced in recent years confirming the dangers of the defendant’s cow’s milk-based product in causing NEC and death in premature infants, yet the Defendant did nothing to change its product, packaging, guidelines, instructions and warnings,” the lawsuit states. “The warnings and instructions are overly broad and vague, and do not ever mention that the product significantly increases the risk of NEC and death, nor provide any detailed instructions or evidence on when and how to feed the infants and how to avoid NEC and death when feeding its products.”
Similac Formula NEC Lawsuits
Settlement benefits may be available through a lawsuit against Similac or Enfamil for failing to warn about the risk of NEC.
As recently as 2016, Abbott advertised some Similac formulas as being specifically for premature and low birth-weight infants, the lawsuit notes, despite the known dangers.
The family of Daniel Renteria-Hernandez is one of the first to file a product liability complaint against Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson, leading the way for dozens of other families now preparing to pursue a Similac lawsuit or Enfamil lawsuit after their premature babies experienced problems from the cow’s milk formulas.
The baby formula NEC lawsuit presents claims for failure to warn, strict liability for defective product, negligence, negligent misrepresentation and breach of warranty, seeking compensatory damages of the loss of their son due to NEC caused by baby formula.
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