Toddler Dies in California E. Coli Outbreak Tied to Pumpkin Farm
WHO:
FOX Weather - San Luis Obispo County health officials reported one death associated with the outbreak; the person’s age and identity were not released in the initial report.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - The person who died was an 18-month-old girl, identified by her grandmother, Los Osos resident Judy Wolf.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - Wolf said, “She was a loved child,” and, “We are inconsolable.”
FOX Weather - County Health Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said contamination can be temporary and difficult to find with available sampling methods.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - Public Health information officer Tom Cuddy expressed condolences to the girl’s family and others affected.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - Brookshire Farms co-owner Shawn Callaway said he and his wife were distressed and that safety had always been a priority.
WHAT:
FOX Weather - Five laboratory-confirmed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 infections were reported; another 10 farm visitors with symptoms were classified as suspected cases.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - The outbreak sickened at least seven people; three children were placed in intensive care.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - The girl developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication that can cause kidney failure.
FOX Weather - Testing of food, water and environmental samples found no E. coli, so investigators did not identify the specific source.
FOX Weather - Edible corn cups, pumpkins, hay and non-potable water were identified as possible shared exposures, but none was confirmed as the source.
FOX Weather - Officials said farm animals and petting zoos were not available to the public or operating at the farm.
FOX Weather - The county said the exposure risk had passed and there was no ongoing public health threat.
WHERE:
FOX Weather - The outbreak was linked to Brookshire Farms on Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo, California.
San Luis Obispo Tribune - The girl was hospitalized at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.
WHEN:
San Luis Obispo Tribune - The girl visited the farm in mid-October, developed symptoms a few days later, spent 10 days in hospital and died on Nov. 4.
FOX Weather - Confirmed cases visited the farm on Oct. 17 or 18; suspected cases visited between Oct. 16 and 26.
WHY:
FOX Weather - Health officials said STEC can spread through contaminated food or water, or by transferring germs from hands to mouths after contact with infected people, animals or environments.
HOW:
FOX Weather - STEC can cause stomach cramps and diarrhea, sometimes bloody; severe infection can lead to kidney failure, and children younger than 5 are at greater risk of serious complications.
(UPDATED November 14, 2026 04:02 UTC)
An E. coli outbreak linked to Brookshire Farms in California killed an 18-month-old girl. Officials confirmed five infections, and three children needed intensive care. Investigators found no source, but say the exposure risk has passed.