For Ludivine and Théo Soavi, life ended on March 10, 2022, when they lost their 2.5-year-old boy. The day before, Kelig had tasted on his mother’s plate “a tiny bit” Buitoni frozen pizza, bought on sale, “for change”. “It was the first time we bought this”says Ludivine Soavi to “Special Envoy”. “We ate everything else and we have nothing”she adds.
The next day, the little boy suffered from violent diarrhoea. The doctors first think of gastroenteritis, but his condition deteriorates rapidly. When he begins to convulse, his father brings him back to the emergency room. A diagnosis of haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) was then made and Kelig hospitalized in intensive care.
Affected heart, kidneys and brain
HUS is a serious condition mainly affecting children. This complication of Escherichia coli bacteria infections causes vital organ failure. Kelig’s heart, kidneys and brain are affected and the CT scan reveals a cerebral hemorrhage. The little boy dies the next day.
The couple searched for weeks to understand what had caused the death of the child. On April 20, they learned from the National Public Health Agency that Kelig had been contaminated with Escherichia coli bacteria, present in the frozen pizza – a Buitoni brand pizza. “We are in France, we are in 2022, reacts Theo Soavi. We do not imagine that we can sell, buy, we, ordinary consumers, products that are deadly.
“There are days when I wonder what I’m still doing here”, blows his mother, who had “Drop everything to take care of him before he goes to school” and the “to see grow”. Today, Ludivine is on medication. “When I don’t take them, it’s too hard”she says.
Excerpt from “Pizzas Buitoni: chain negligence?”, a report to see in “Special Envoy” on October 27, 2022.
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