15-Year-Old Has Fatal Allergic Reaction To Peanuts: Megyn Kelly Roundtable | Megyn Kelly TODAY

Alexi Stafford, a Florida teenager with a severe peanut allergy, died after she consumed a Chips Ahoy cookie with peanuts in it, mistaking the packaging for another one of the brand’s products. Amy Holmes of PBS' “In Principle,” NBC's Stephanie Gosk and New York Times reporter Megan Twohey joins Megyn Kelly to discuss the tragedy and how Alexi’s mother is spreading awareness with hopes this mistake doesn’t happen again.

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15-Year-Old Has Fatal Allergic Reaction To Peanuts: Megyn Kelly Roundtable | Megyn Kelly TODAY

[AmbiiJay]

Not to be harsh but reading is essential. I have allergies and I do not assume. I read everything to make sure that I am ok. They said she knew how to be safe but the number 1 way to be safe is to read and be 100% sure.

[cierahowell]

Why would you give your child two epipens and not take them to the hospital. 90 minutes?

[mburke]

One of my first pediatric deaths as a paramedic was a 9 year old girl who was severely allergic to nuts including coconuts. Her mother went to get a box cake mix at family dollar but accidentally grabbed a German chocolate cake mix and regular vanilla icing. She noticed her mistake, but assumed only German chocolate icing had coconut; unfortunately she didn’t look at the ingredients. We arrived on scene within four minutes of the call, and approximately 10 min following ingestion of the cake. Her mom carried 2 epipens in her purse that had been sitting in a hot car. The heat damaged the injector mechanism on one of the pens making it unusable, and caused the degradation of the epinephrine in the other epipen making it far less effective. By the time we got to her, she was in cardiac arrest. She had massive inflammation and hives that covered about 90% of her body. Intubation was impossible because her epiglottis and larynx were swollen shut, but I managed to get an airway using a quicktrach device and successfully resuscitated her. She arrested twice on the way to the life flight helipad, and several times in flight. Unfortunately, due to a few other underlying conditions she passed away a few hours later.

[pinaopina]

The package was very well labeled. I think the mom frustration is caused by the pain of losing her. 😔 she worked so many years to keep her daughter safe and in hours she was gone.

[jessicacole]

*I think it's pretty well labeled*

[susisiebert]

She should have read the package AND carry her EPI pen at all times...THAT should be the warning...not blaming the Company who clearly labelled it...understandably upsetting though

[journalsbysophie]

You need to tell everyone if you have such big allergy, it's so important!! And never assume that a bag of cookies is okay to eat even though you told them about it. I am so sorry for this poor girl but at 15 you need to be responsible for yourself, you can never be sure with these things. It sucks that she didn't check the bag and that the parents of her friends weren't safe about what to serve the kids

[jsafla]

If her mom had taken her to the ER as the EpiPen instructs, "seek medical attention", her daughter would be alive.

[donnahague]

As tragic as this is, it is not the companies fault. Anyone with a food allergy has to read every package and ask questions in restaurants. I feel terrible for her parents loss but you cannot blame the company.

[suepost]

Very tragic. Was she taken to the hospital? They never said. Id hate to think she was given 2 epipen shots and no one called the ambulance. That couldve made the difference.

[zoeboy]

So we blame the company because some one assume something. So no one takes personal responsibility any more. It’s every one fault but you own. She was way old enough to read. If the package was open. The label was still on the bottom. Red packaging don’t mean safe. Nutter butter packaging is red too. It’s common sense. Check and we in doubt eat something else.

[pollyannaprinciple]

One of my friends shared with me that one of his friends had a peanut allergy. His friend died on her birthday after eating something with peanuts or peanut oil at a restaurant during her birthday party. The birthday woman spoke to the restaurant workers to request that the meals be made free of peanuts or peanut oil. I don't think I would eat anything outside my home if I had such a severe allergy.

[divalicious]

Why didn't she go to the hospital asap.... like two epi pens won't save you...she needed an emergency room not just two epi pens.

[NYD]

It literally says reese's on the package. Just read the package

[SG-bkpb]

If companies adhered to all the different allergies that exist they would end up with bells, whistles, flashing lights, dna tests and a genie that popped out.

I have nut allergies. I am 40 and carry my Epi pen everywhere.

My allergy isn’t someone else’s responsibility it’s mine and up to me to over see things.

[bookisheliza]

It's kinda her own fault though..I'm deathly allergic to strawberries and I've been scanning ingredients on packages since I was 7...

[hugznkizzez]

Also, as a nanny/babysitter and teacher I have always been hyper aware of kids and allergies. My church lost a child to an allergic reaction very similar to this a few years ago and we have been even more vigilant when interacting with children wether it be at camp or in class to have their allergies come first. Parents need to be more vocal and let people know as well though, it goes both ways. I know that with all the families I work with I have made sure to ask as well as had parents tell me on their own so you can never be too safe/informed when it comes to allergies!

[nisslscholle]

This was clearly a case of not being educated enough on her allergy. Both for alexi and her parents. As soon as she had symptoms she immediately should have been taken to a hospital. Not gone home to get an epi pen!! So sad and heartbreaking to see preventable deaths like this.

[telengardforever]

If you have a severe allergy, or you are trying to watch your weight: only eat the foods that YOU make by scratch. Stop eating prepared foods. Especially during a pandemic. Don't eat fast food where employees don't have health insurance or sick days off.

[SheilaMiller]

Its very important to introduce your baby to peanut butter, strawberry etc for this type of reason.