Jury Deliberates in Lawsuit Over Abbott Formula Linked to Premature Baby Illness

Four Illinois mothers allege Abbott's Similac Special Care formula caused their babies to develop a dangerous intestinal disease.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:03am

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray photograph of a baby bottle, its internal structure glowing with a faint, ethereal light, conceptually representing the complex medical issues at the center of this legal case.A legal battle over a specialized infant formula and its potential health risks for premature babies.Chicago Today

A monthlong trial in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago has concluded, with the jury now deliberating in a case involving four babies who developed a dangerous intestinal disease after consuming a specialized formula for premature infants made by Abbott Laboratories. Attorneys for the mothers argued that the formula caused the babies' illness, while Abbott's lawyers maintained the formula did not lead to the babies' condition.

Why it matters

The four Cook County cases are being closely watched, as they could have significant implications for both Abbott Laboratories and families of babies born prematurely across the country. Abbott faces over 1,700 lawsuits nationwide over whether its cow's milk-based formula for preterm infants causes a disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which can be fatal in up to 40% of cases.

The details

The four lawsuits, filed in 2022 by Illinois mothers, allege that the babies developed NEC after being fed Abbott's Similac Special Care formula while hospitalized at Chicago-area medical centers between 2012 and 2019. Attorneys for the mothers argued that the formula is unreasonably dangerous and that Abbott failed to adequately warn about the risks. However, Abbott's lawyers maintained that the formula did not cause the babies' illness, and that the children had other risk factors that led to their developing NEC.

  • The four Cook County cases went to trial in April 2026.
  • The jury began deliberating on the case on April 9, 2026, shortly after closing arguments.

The players

Sean Grimsley

An attorney for the mothers, who argued that the jury should find Abbott liable and suggested awarding $52 million in damages.

Hariklia Karis

A partner at Kirkland & Ellis representing Abbott, who maintained that the formula did not cause the babies to develop NEC and that the children had other risk factors.

Abbott Laboratories

The north suburban-based company that manufactures the Similac Special Care formula for premature infants, which is at the center of the lawsuits.

Antonia Mendez, Casie Thompson, Kara Sharpe, and Eboni Williams

The Illinois mothers who filed the four lawsuits against Abbott Laboratories over their premature babies developing NEC after consuming the company's formula.

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What they’re saying

“We're here because these kids did not have to develop NEC. We're here because these kids did not have to suffer. We are here because of Abbott.”

— Sean Grimsley, Attorney for the mothers

“The scientific evidence has shown that these kids were born prematurely, they had a number of other conditions, and, as a result, even without a drop of formula, these kids were going, unfortunately, to develop NEC.”

— Hariklia Karis, Partner at Kirkland & Ellis representing Abbott

What’s next

The jury in the Cook County case is expected to deliver its verdict in the coming days. The outcome of this trial could influence the many other similar cases against Abbott that have been filed in Cook County Circuit Court, as well as hundreds of federal cases in Chicago.

The takeaway

This high-stakes legal battle over a specialized infant formula and its potential health risks highlights the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding the safety and regulation of products for vulnerable premature babies.