Judge bars lawsuits against Stew Leonard’s executives in dancer's fatal cookie case
A court ruled that Stew Leonard’s CEO and staff cannot be personally sued over the death of dancer Baxendale, though product liability claims remain against the company and its supplier.
A judge dismissed all claims targeting Stew Leonard’s executives and staff in the wrongful-death action over the death of 25-year-old dancer Baxendale, while allowing product-liability claims to proceed against Stew Leonard’s Holdings LLC, Stew Leonard’s Danbury LLC and the Long Island wholesaler Cookies United. Baxendale suffered a fatal allergic reaction after consuming a vanilla Florentine cookie that failed to list peanuts, to which she was severely allergic.
The investigation revealed that Cookies United had switched soy nuts for peanuts in the recipe and notified Stew Leonard’s employees by email in July 2023, but the chain’s chief safety officer was not alerted. Baxendale’s estate argues that the grocery failed to implement any system to verify ingredient labeling. The case, which has drawn additional consumer complaints, is set for trial in Waterbury Superior Court in May 2027, after a prior dismissal of individual claims in September 2025.
Why it matters
The decision limits personal liability for corporate leaders while keeping the company accountable for product safety failures.
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