In a harrowing legal battle that underscores the vulnerability of premature infants, a mother has filed a lawsuit against a major pharmaceutical company, alleging that their cow's milk-based infant formula led to her child's severe illness. On April 4, 2025, Tameka King lodged a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Abbott Laboratories and its subsidiary, Abbott Laboratories, Inc., accusing them of negligence and wrongful conduct.
The case revolves around Baby Ameal King, who was born prematurely on December 22, 2014. After being fed Abbott's cow's milk-based products at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, Baby King developed Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal disease. The plaintiff argues that the defendants' products were defectively designed and marketed without adequate warnings about the risks they posed to preterm infants. Citing numerous studies and expert opinions dating back decades, the complaint highlights how cow's milk-based formulas significantly increase the risk of NEC compared to human milk alternatives. For instance, research published as early as 1990 indicated that NEC was six to ten times more common in formula-fed babies than those fed breast milk alone.
Tameka King's lawsuit accuses Abbott Laboratories of failing to warn healthcare providers and parents about these dangers despite being aware of them through scientific literature and internal testing. The complaint alleges that the company prioritized profits over safety by aggressively marketing their products as safe for preterm infants while offering financial incentives to healthcare providers for using them. As a result of consuming these products, Baby King suffered severe injuries requiring surgery to remove necrotic bowel tissue.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 for medical expenses and ongoing care related to Baby King's condition. Additionally, she demands punitive damages under North Carolina law and Illinois statutes to punish Abbott Laboratories for their alleged willful misconduct and deter similar actions in the future.
Representing Tameka King are attorneys James E. Douglas Jr. and C. Andrew Childers from Childers, Schlueter & Smith LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. The case is identified as Case No.: 1:25-cv-03671 in front of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.