Toxic Metals in Gerber and Nurture Baby Food Products Led To Autism Diagnosis, Lawsuit Claims

The mother of a child who received an autism diagnosis says toxic metals in popular baby food products led to the condition.

According to allegations raised in a lawsuit recently filed against Gerber Products Company and Nurture, Inc., a four year old child was diagnosed with autism after being fed contaminated baby food that was tainted with toxic metals.

The complaint (PDF) was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Ashley Scarlott, pursuing damages for herself and her minor child, identified only by the initials as R.S.

Scarlott indicates she unknowingly fed her child Nuture and Gerber baby food products that contained high levels of toxic heavy metals, which the manufacturers concealed from federal regulators and parents.

Over the past year, Gerber, Nurture and other manufacturers have faced a growing number of similar toxic baby food lawsuits brought by parents of children with autism or ADHD, following the release of a congressional report that found many popular products contain high levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, which may cause severe health problems and developmental challenges for children.

The U.S. Congressional report highlighted internal documents and testing products for baby food sold by Gerber (doing business as Nestlé Nutrition), Nurture, Beech-Nut Nutrition, Hain Celestial Group, Campbell, Sprout Organic Foods and other widely used products, finding that some baby foods contain high levels of toxic metals, with more than 91 times the maximum level of arsenic allowed in bottled water; 177 times the allowable levels of lead, 69 times the limits on cadmium, and five times the levels of allowable mercury.

According to the baby food autism lawsuit filed by Scarlott, R.S. consumed “substantial quantities” of Nurture baby food products, sold under the Happy Family labels, as well as Gerber baby food products, which ultimately led to an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in February 2021, when the child was only three years and two months old.

“Based on prevailing scientific evidence, exposure to the Toxic Heavy Metals at the levels contained in Defendants’ Baby Foods can cause ASD in humans,” Scarlott’s lawsuit states. “Had any Defendant warned Plaintiff’s parents that Defendants’ Baby Foods could lead to exposure to Toxic Heavy Metals or, in turn, ASD, Plaintiff wound not have consumed the Baby Foods.”

Although the manufacturers continue to maintain their baby food is safe and appropriately labeled, the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long maintained that exposing infants and children to toxic heavy metals can cause a permanent decrease in IQ, an increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior, and untreatable and frequently permanent brain damage.

Heavy metal exposure to infants is a serious concern. Lead exposure at any level is extremely unsafe for children. Prior studies have linked heavy metal exposure to behavioral impairments, brain damage, damage to the nervous system, seizures, growth impairments, and even death.