Parker’s Promise — One mother’s way of helping parents cope with illnesses

In the summer of 2022 Parker Stine’s parents signed him up for a fun, educational stint at a day camp where he would care for a baby goat for a week. The week went fine and his family was so happy on the last day when they went to see him and the goat he had been caring for.

They were equally happy the next day when they set out from their Tennessee home for a Florida vacation. Then things went terribly wrong. Parker became violently ill and was hospitalized. He had developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection from contact with the animals at Lucky Ladd Farm.

There’s No Place Like Home

As all parents, kids get sick and it’s inevitable this time of year especially. For Nathan and Courtney Sem’s four-year-old daughter, Everlee, it started out as a typical childhood illness. Courtney explained that these common symptoms for a tummy bug, consisting of the child complaining of stomach pain

It is time for mandated safety standards for fairgrounds, petting zoos and other farm animal businesses.

The Hefflin’s kindergartener went on a school field trip to the Appalachian Fairgrounds in Tennessee. His class visited the petting zoo. He developed an E.coli 0157:H7 infection and then spread it to his mom and younger brothers, referred to as a secondary infection.

It’s Unfathomable, Children Hospitalized with E.Coli bacteria following Lake Anna Visit.

WASHINGTON (7News) — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) confirmed with 7News that it is investigating “lab-confirmed cases” of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria, possibly contracted from the water at Lake Anna over the Memorial Day weekend.

There are currently no advisories against entering the water, but VDH said it “does encourage caution when swimming”.

See Full Article with ABC 7 News

Appalachian Fairground Outbreak

BLOUNTVILLE — More than 1,000 elementary school students from three public school systems in Sullivan County potentially were exposed to E. coli on field trips last month, Sullivan County’s head health official said Thursday. See Full Article with Kingsport Times

Shoal Creak Outbreak

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (WAFF) – Pediatricians in the Shoals are calling on parents to keep a closer eye on kids while they are swimming for the remainder of the summer.

Three patients were seen by Quad Cities Pediatrics after they swam in the Tennessee River and what doctors found is not the usual E. coli case. Doctors and nurses at Quad City Pediatrics said they have treated at least three patients under 10-years-old this month that they believe became ill after swimming in the Tennessee River.

See Full Article with WAFF 48

Lucky Ladd Farm Outbreak

EAGLEVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lucky Ladd Farms is responding to claims they were negligent after a child died from catching E. coli over the summer.

More than a dozen people got sick and two children needed to be hospitalized this summer, according to a Tennessee Department of Health report. The 2-year-old — who died — picked it up from a sibling that attended the camp on the farm.

Marler is representing the family who lost their 2-year-old child and three other people who got sick after handling baby goats. These families feel like Lucky Ladd Farms needs better safety protocols.