FDA investigates death of baby ‘after drinking Abbott formula’ less than a month after plant reopens

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating after another child died after allegedly consuming infant formula produced by Abbott Laboratories.

An Abbott spokesperson told DailyMail.com the company received ‘limited product and clinical information’ to evaluate the case and, at this time, there are ‘no conclusions’ and ‘no evidence to suggest a causal relationship’ between Abbott products and the reported infant death.

The probe comes less than a month after Abbott reopened its factory in Sturgis, Michigan. The plant is the largest baby formula factory in the U.S.

The facility was shuttered in February following a bacteria contamination in four infants, including two who died. Investigation revealed Abbott products were not likely the source of the infections in the prior cases.

Meantime, the U.S. continues to battle a nationwide formula shortage. The Biden administration announced Wednesday officials are providing logistical support to import about 16 million 8-ounce baby formula bottles from Mexico starting this weekend. 

The move is part of President Joe Biden’s Operation Fly Formula initiative aimed at easing supply shortages disruptions heightened by the closure of the Abbott plant.

The latest infant death occurred in January, according to a consumer complaint sent to the FDA on June 10. 

The agency didn’t specify which Abbott product the child allegedly consumed or where the baby formula was produced, but noted its investigation is still in the preliminary stage.

An Abbott spokesperson told DailyMail.com Wednesday the company was informed about the infant death case last week. 

However, the formula manufacturer alleges there was ‘limited product and clinical information provided to evaluate the case.’

‘At this time, there are no conclusions that can be drawn and no evidence to suggest a causal relationship between Abbott’s formulas and this reported case,’ the spokesperson said. ‘If additional information is available, we will investigate further per our complaint handling process.’