Testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the type of bacteria that can cause the illness in two samples linked to the formula, officials said.
The agency found that bacteria in an unopened can of formula matched a sample from a sick baby — and it also matched contamination detected in samples of organic whole milk powder used to make ByHeart formula and collected and tested by the company.
FDA testing also found contamination in a sample of whole milk powder supplied to ByHeart — and it matched the germ in a finished sample of the company’s formula.
The findings are not conclusive, and the investigation continues “to determine the source of the contamination,” the agency said in a statement.
A ByHeart official said the finding helps shed light on what has become a “watershed moment” for the company.
“We are focused on the root cause and our responsibility to act on what we’ve learned to help create a safer future for ByHeart and infant formula,” said Dr. Devon Kuehn, ByHeart’s chief scientific and medical officer.
Neither FDA nor ByHeart named the supplier of the powdered whole milk.
At this time, there is no indication of a broader problem in the infant formula supply, the FDA said.
New York-based ByHeart has been at the center of a food poisoning outbreak that has sickened 51 babies in 19 states since December 2023. The problem was identified in November after officials with the California program that supplies the sole treatment for infant botulism detected a surge in cases in babies who consumed ByHeart formula.
No new cases in the outbreak have been identified since mid-December, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
ByHeart initially recalled two lots of formula, but it expanded the recall to all products days later. Federal health officials later said they could not rule out contamination of all products made since the company launched in March 2022.
That followed company testing, announced in November, that found six of 36 samples of formula from three different lots contained the dangerous type of bacteria that causes infant botulism.
Illnesses caused by botulism bacteria in infant formula are rare, and the size and scope of the ByHeart outbreak is unprecedented, food safety experts said.
Some formula companies do test raw materials and finished formula for evidence of the contamination, but such testing should be required, said Sarah Sorscher, director of regulatory affairs for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group.
“FDA has not announced a plan to do testing, and that’s what we really want to see them do,” she said.
Even if the contamination was traced to a milk supplier, the company remains responsible for the harm caused by its product, said Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer who represents more than 30 families of babies who fell ill.
“Just because they are able to point the finger at dried powder as the ingredient that may have been contaminated, it doesn’t take any of the legal or moral responsibility away from ByHeart,” Marler said.
ByHeart, which accounted for about 1% of the U.S. infant formula market, previously sold about 200,000 cans of the product per month. It was marketed as an option close to human breast milk, one that used “organic, grass-fed whole milk.” Parents of babies sickened in the outbreak said they chose the formula, which cost about $42 per can, because of its touted health benefits.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
In January 2022, the pain coursing through Hannah Pettey’s body for six months was hitting her harder than ever.
Hannah Pettey: It was unbearable … I was in the bed at this point for probably like a week straight.
Anne Marie Green: Were you even able to care for your kids?
Hannah Pettey: I did as much as I could.
Hannah’s son Lincoln was 3, and her daughter Gracie had just turned 2. But Hannah was too sick to attend Gracie’s birthday party.
Hannah Pettey: I was so weak that I couldn’t hardly walk. I had a little office chair that I would roll around in our house because I really didn’t get out of the house …
Hannah says her husband Brian Mann was there when she needed him the most.
Hannah Pettey: When I really started getting sick is when he was the sweetest to me …
Hannah and Brian Mann
Hannah Pettey
Brian was a chiropractor, but he says he could not diagnose what was wrong with Hannah.
Brian Mann: I had no idea … that’s out of my forte. Um, that’s someone that I would refer out, refer to a specialist, which is what I wanted to do.
On Jan. 18, 2022, Hannah checked in with her mother Nicole Pettey. After they hung up, Nicole says she was haunted by something she heard in her daughter’s voice.
Nicole Pettey: Just know that feeling, I knew something was wrong.
Nicole Pettey: I called and called and called and texted … Hannah called me finally … but she wasn’t able to speak. … So she just kind of gasped … and then she’d asked me, she said, “Mom, can you take me to the hospital?”
What was making Hannah Pettey sick?
Brian was at work, so Nicole rushed over and drove Hannah to UAB, the hospital at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While there, Nicole took several photos and videos.
Nicole Pettey: The doctor … said, obviously she is very sick … I wanna keep her, but there’s … no way that they’re gonna let me keep her. Her, um, vitals are stable … I said … “if you send her home, she’s gonna die …”
It was right then that Hannah suffered a terrifying seizure, and, in the frenzy, she ripped off her hospital gown. For Nicole, that moment is frozen in time.
Nicole Pettey: … she was skin and bones … they told me that she was actually starving to death when we got there, they said she was, had hours to live …
When Hannah arrived at the hospital, doctors told her mother she had hours to live.
Nicole Pettey
One doctor directed her anger at Nicole.
Nicole Pettey: She’s like, does she live with you? Like obviously someone should have seen that this person was dying, you know. This person was starving to death. … She said, “who is responsible for her?”
Anne-Marie Green: What’d you say?
Nicole Pettey: And I said, she’s married and they said, “she’s married?”
The seizure was so severe Hannah lost consciousness. Doctors wanted to talk with Hannah’s husband, so Nicole says she texted Brian:
“Hey Brian, Hannah had a seizure about 2 hours ago. She still has not come to yet…they said she could be out all day long, so I wanted to let you know if she’s not texting you that is why…”
Nicole Pettey: And I, of course, didn’t get a response from him …
Anne-Marie Green: So you don’t get … a text back — from Brian …
Nicole Pettey: No, never.
It had been that way for years, she said; all through his marriage to Hannah, Brian ignored Nicole.
Nicole Pettey: … never seen him the whole time they were married … never … any interaction with him whatsoever.
Anne-Marie Green: Never for any family gatherings, any holidays, he just never came?
Nicole Pettey: Never.
Anne-Marie Green: Brian didn’t like you.
Nicole Pettey: No.
That night, Brian never got back to Nicole, but he had learned about Hannah’s condition from his mother, who was in touch with Nicole. He arranged for childcare and began driving.
Nicole Pettey: He got to the hospital around 9:30 that night …
Under COVID restrictions, the hospital was allowing only one visitor at a time and with Nicole inside, Brian was kept out.
Brian Mann: I was very irritated that Nicole was not switching out with me, um, letting me in, because I stood outside of that hospital for a long time, trying to get in that room with Hannah.
But eventually, Nicole did come out and Brian was allowed in.
Anne-Marie Green: It must have been shocking to see her in that hospital bed like that?
Brian Mann: Yes … but I was glad that she was there … and — and people were trying to figure something out.
When Mann left to go to work, Nicole went in. Hannah was still unconscious and had been that way for nearly 48 hours. Nurses had just finished checking on her when Nicole bent over her daughter.
Nicole Pettey: I kissed her head, and I said, “I love you” … Her eyes just popped open. And then she said, “I love you too.”
Nicole says nurses were amazed and rushed to her side.
Nicole Pettey: I just started crying and Hannah said, “have I not been talking?”
But Hannah’s ordeal was far from over. Days after Hannah was admitted, Nicole says doctors put her in a medical coma while they drained the excess fluid from within her brain.
Nicole Pettey: … and then they had to paralyze her because even being in a coma, um, there was just so much fluid in her brain that any type of movement … she would’ve died…
Anne-Marie Green: But, Nicole, it’s like things are going from bad to worse.
Nicole Pettey: Yeah, yeah.
Anne Marie Green: Did you ever give up hope?
Nicole Pettey: No. Oh no. No. Never. Not one time …
Brian says he was wondering why Hannah’s health had gone downhill so quickly the day Nicole had picked her up and drove to the hospital.
Brian Mann: … that is curious how bad she got from getting in the car with her mother to being admitted to the hospital.
His dislike and distrust of Nicole boiled over.
Brian Mann: … she is a cruel person … she was not happy with the fact that Hannah seemed happy being with me …
Hannah Pettey’s body was “packed with lead”
Eight days after Hannah was admitted to the hospital, her neurologist told Nicole that doctors had figured out what was causing Hannah’s symptoms.
Nicole Pettey: Her exact words were, “she has an astronomical amount of lead inside of her.”
Lead. It was an unusual finding, and Nicole says doctors told her they had never seen a patient like Hannah.
Nicole Pettey: They said her colon was so packed, full of lead … it was almost 100% lead. … there was no room in her stomach to hold anything. It was just complete lead plus there was lead just in her bones, just everywhere …
An X-ray shows Hannah Pettey’s body filled will lead.
Hartselle Police Department
Doctors told Nicole there was no way Hannah could have ingested all that lead by accident — it had to be deliberate, and they told her exactly what they thought.
Nicole Pettey: They let me know that this is an attempted murder …
The hospital reported Hannah’s case to the Department of Human Resources, the state agency that protects vulnerable adults. Hospital administrators immediately put Hannah in a secluded room with someone at the door to keep all visitors out. Nicole says she and Brian were told to leave and were no longer allowed to see Hannah because they were considered possible suspects.
From left, Brian Mann, Hannah Pettey and Nicole Pettey. “I remember them saying either he’s done it, she’s done it, or you’ve done it … but someone is intentionally trying to kill your daughter,” Nicole Pettey told “48 Hours.”
CBS News
Nicole Pettey: I was beside myself … because I had to leave her … they had to send me away from the hospital.
Brian Mann: I immediately started thinking this is Nicole. … This has to be Nicole pointing fingers … I didn’t really think it would get anywhere because I thought it was, again, just Nicole making waves to make waves.
Brian Mann: Hannah’s mom just caused so many problems and not so much directly at me, but she was just awful to Hannah …
Brian says Hannah told him that Nicole could be critical of her.
Brian Mann: Why don’t you put makeup on, um, are you sure you should eat that? Just stuff like that all the time.
Brian Mann: I would say … why do you want this woman in your life? And it always all she could come back to, “she’s my mom.” … “She’s my mom.” And that’s really the only defense she had for her, “she’s my mom.”
Hannah denies Brian’s allegations. She did move away from Nicole and got her own apartment in June 2017, the month she turned 18 years old. She had just graduated from high school. That’s when she met Brian, a 29-year-old chiropractor with his own business.
Hannah Pettey: He was very, very sweet in the beginning and you know … he’s very charming, good looking. (Laughs) And yeah, I really liked him.
Anne-Marie Green: Sounds like it was almost sort of instant attraction.
Brian Mann: Yes … it was head over heels. … umm everything was just working right.
Within weeks of Brian’s first date with Hannah, his friend Walker Snyder says Brian told him Hannah was “the one.”
Walker Snyder: And I’m like, man, you just met her like a week ago or she’s 18. (laughs) she doesn’t know what she wants. … She doesn’t even know what she doesn’t want. And he was like, “No, we both know what we want” …
It wasn’t long before Hannah told friends she was pregnant.
Anne-Marie Green: How long were you guys dating … before you proposed?
Brian Mann: We started dating in November. I believe I proposed after Valentine’s Day … so not — not too long.
Anne-Marie Green: Were you nervous?
Brian Mann: I was … I take marriage very seriously. And, so, yeah … I was, I was definitely nervous about it.
Hannah was nervous, too. She says she had noticed that Brian could be controlling but she plunged ahead — at least until her wedding day in May 2018. Hannah’s friend, Alyson Holmes.
Alyson Holmes: Right before we were all about to walk down the aisle … Hannah expressed to us that she was, you know … very nervous. She had cold feet …
Nicole Pettey: We told her a hundred times over. You don’t have to do it. … if this is cold feet, you know, it is what it is. But if this is un — uncertainty, walk away, it’s not too late to walk away.
In the end, Hannah smiled through her ceremony, and married Brian.
Anne-Marie Green: When you walked up to the altar and you looked at him, you had no questions?
Hannah Pettey: I mean, I did. … I mean, deep down I did. I was like, I don’t really know if I’m making the right decision and everything …
Hannah and Brian Mann on their wedding day in May 2018.
Chelsea Vaughn Photography
The couple moved into Brian’s home and started their lives together.
Anne-Marie Green: How was he as a husband?
Hannah Pettey: For the most part, he was really good as a husband … I mean, it was good and bad.
Hannah Pettey: We got in a lot of physical fights … so that’s a bad thing, but it wasn’t … all the time though, so …
Anne-Marie Green: You know, like, as I’m listening to you talk, you know, it sounds almost a little bit like —
Hannah Pettey: Mm.
Anne-Marie Green: — you’re explaining away –
Hannah Pettey: Mm-hmm.
Anne-Marie Green: — the bad stuff. Do you think you did that in the marriage a bit?
Hannah Pettey: Uh, yeah, I definitely did, I think …Yeah. Yeah, my mom tells me that, too.
Even their son’s birth was a minefield of emotion.
Hannah Pettey: You know, I was nine months pregnant, and I had started, um, bleeding. And so, I went to the hospital, and he came in and he got so angry at me … and he was yelling at me … and “you shouldn’t have been out walking like in this heat” … like, “that was so stupid and irresponsible”
Alyson Holmes: … he was acting so just outrageous that the nurses … even told her … if you need us to do something, then you say this specific word and we’ll know … that we need to step in and intervene in what’s going on …
Hannah never used that “safe word” but as time went on, Brian says the couple came to an understanding.
Brian Mann: I would say, Hannah, talk to me. I am on your side…. I’m your biggest fan, your biggest supporter … one day she said … I’m going to trust you. And I want to do this with you. And I want to build this with you. … from then on, it just got better and better.
Hannah Pettey: … that’s when I started to really fall in love with him.
The couple had another child, a daughter, and life was good, they say, until Hannah began to feel sick and went to the hospital emergency room in January 2022. She was left fighting for her life, and doctors were trying to help her, but they told Nicole they had to know more.
Anne-Marie Green: They said the only way she gets this much lead in her system —
Nicole Pettey: Is to ingest it. Is to ingest it. They said she had to have ingested it.
Nicole Pettey: I remember them saying, we don’t care if you give her crack … we just want to know about it. We have to know everything she’s taken.
And that’s when Nicole remembered something that she’d completely overlooked: Hannah told her that Brian had given her special supplements – capsules — each and every night.
In search of evidence
Doctors kept asking Nicole what Hannah had been eating in the months leading up to her hospital stay.
Nicole Pettey: From what they can see, it looks like someone has gave her lead every single day for, at least … three months.
Was Hannah eating something that contained lead? Nicole says she had no idea because she hardly ever visited her daughter in the months before the seizure. And neverif Brian was home.
Nicole Pettey: I could only go when he was working … and I would have to leave before he got off work. … I never actually ran into him.
Anne-Marie Green: Whoa.
Nicole Pettey: Yeah, He didn’t come home until I left.
As doctors pressed her for information, Nicole remembered Hannah telling her about special supplement capsules that Brian placed on her nightstand every night. Nicole says it didn’t strike her as unusual because Brian was a chiropractor, but she told doctors anyway.
Nicole Pettey: I told ’em that I know that they were big on supplements.
Nicole says doctors repeatedly asked Brian to bring in the capsules described by Hannah, but he never did. Instead, hegave them a photo of common over-the-counter supplements.
DHR investigators, who were getting information from Hannah’s doctors, contacted Lt. Alan McDearmond of the Hartselle Police Department.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: They said that I needed to go arrest somebody for attempting to kill their wife. And I’m like, well, hold up. I mean, we can’t just go arrest people. What are you talking about?
Investigators told McDearmond that doctors suspected Brian had given Hannah some type of lead-filled capsules over and over again.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: … you can take a capsule and open it up, empty the contents and then put the lead in …
McDearmond told Brian about the hospital’s allegations.
Brian Mann: McDearmond … said … your wife’s been lead poisoned. … And they think it was intentional. And they said, you’re the number one suspect … So, I was kind of dumbfounded … I didn’t know what to think about that.
McDearmond asked Brian if the police could search his house, and he agreed.
Brian Mann: So, I took him all through the house. I let him search my house … And we went through and tried to figure out what she was eating, pills, make-ups and — and things like that.
McDearmond says Brian provided a bottle of supplements and a laxative that he said Hannah had taken.
Anne-Marie Green: Hannah says you made her take supplements.
Brian Mann: That is not true …
Brian blamed all his problems on Nicole.
Brian Mann: I immediately started thinking this is Nicole …This has to be Nicole pointing fingers.
Investigators removed the children from Brian’s home. They were placed with his parents. He had supervised visitation.
Brian Mann: Nicole had just done so much over the years and Hannah had told me so much about her that I just had no doubt … Nicole was somehow stirring this all up.
Brian said he remembered something Hannah had told him that now seemed to hold more significance. In second grade, in a story that Hannah confirms, she recalled being so sick for so long that she visited the school nurse dozens of times.
Brian Mann: … and she eventually got really bad, and her mother took her to UAB. She says she remembers staying there about a week.
Hannah Petty in January 2022. Doctors put her in a medical coma to drain excess fluid from her body.
Hannah Pettey Facebook
Flash forward to 2022. Hannah was back at UAB Hospital. On January 29, McDearmond went to see Hannah for himself, but she was in a coma.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: I had no idea the condition she was in until I went to the hospital and saw her for myself …
Doctors showed him Hannah’s X-rays.
Anne Marie Green: What did you think?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Oh, gosh, I was just floored. I mean, her whole insides was lit up from the — the lead reacting to the X-ray … I mean It was crazy.
McDearmond asked Brian to come in.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: And at that point is when he refused to further cooperate with the investigation.
On February 1, McDearmond cleared Nicole, and she was once again allowed to visit Hannah.
Anne-Marie Green: How were you able to clear Nicole?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: You know, just through conversations … whether you could tell that she was very concerned about Hannah … she was the person that was caring for Hannah …
Anne-Marie Green: It sounds to me like you just like Nicole’s behavior. She acted the way you expect a concerned mother to act. … And Brian didn’t act the way you expected a concerned husband to act.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: That’s correct.
Anne-Marie Green: Is that evidence?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: That’s not evidence. No … and the problem with this case was there was not a lot of evidence.
Within days, McDearmond received the results of the tests done at Brian and Hannah’s home.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Everything was negative.
Anne-Marie Green: Did you ever find any capsules?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Um, no.
Anne-Marie Green: Did you ever find any supplements that were tainted?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Um, no.
Anne-Marie Green: Did you ever find evidence of lead being ground down or scraped, or turned into little particles that could go into a capsule?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: No.
Anne-Marie Green: So, isn’t that kind of a big hole in the theory?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Well, he sold supplements.
McDearmond says he kept looking for the source of that lead. In mid-February, Hannah began to rally and McDearmond went to see her again.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: I told her in a very nice way, you know, why she was in the hospital and … asked her, you know, do you have any idea who may have given you some substance? She said, “No.”
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Do you have any thoughts of self-harm? I mean, did you put yourself here? And she said, “No.”
McDearmond said Hannah was coherent one minute and not the next. She said she saw “people coming out of the walls.”
Lt. Alan McDearmond: When I first started talking to the medical staff, I mean, they didn’t give her any hope … they said if she came out of this, that, uh, she would really not have any cognitive functions … they didn’t suspect that, that we would be able to even talk with her.
Anne Marie Green: Wow.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: They basically told us that we needed to do everything that we could, because we didn’t need to rely on her as a witness because they didn’t think she would ever make it to that point.
But Hannah surprised everyone by getting stronger each day with the help of a team of dedicated nurses.
Nicole Pettey: They were all kind of close to her age … they knew she had kids, and they would say to her, “you’ve got your babies, you’ve got your babies.”
Nicole Pettey: And I remember she just always got a life in her when you mentioned the kids. She was like … I’m gonna get better. I’m gonna get out here and get better, you know.
Nicole says Hannah did get better and stronger — strong enough that Hannah’s neurologist told her the whole story.
Hannah Pettey: She grabbed my hand and she just kind of started giving me a heart to heart about why they have strong reasons to believe that it was Brian.
Anne-Marie Green: And what’s the conversation like after that, between you and Hannah?
Nicole Pettey: Oh, it was horrible. That was horrible. Sorry, of everything that she went through, the heartbreak … The heartbreak was terrible … She just would sit there and cry.
On March 3, after nearly two months, Hannah was well enough to leave the hospital. She went to her mom’s house, reunited with her children, and filed for divorce. But friends like Kyle Golden were worried.
Kyle Golden: We did know that Hannah was still in contact with Brian —
Alyson Holmes: Yeah.
Kyle Golden: And that did upset us … It was scary.
Alyson Holmes: Yeah.
Kyle Golden: Knowing that she could potentially go back to this guy that we believe tried to kill her.
Hannah Pettey goes back to Brian Mann; Considers halting her cooperation
In the days after Hannah got out of the hospital, Hannah says she felt vulnerable and confused.
Hannah Pettey: I was on so many different medicines, so many different psych medicines the doctors had me on …
Despite the risks, Hannah had made up her mind to sit down with Brian face to face. Just one week after being discharged, she met him at their former home.
Hannah Pettey: I just had to figure it out for myself. Instead of everyone telling me this is what happened.
Anne-Marie Green: And so you sit down with him.
Hannah Pettey: Mm-hmm.
Anne-Marie Green: And did you ask him outright? Did you do this? Did you try to poison me?
Hannah Pettey: No, I was so emotional. I mean I didn’t stop crying that night. I remember I cried all through the night.
Hannah Pettey: I wanted him to say … like there’s no way that I could have, you know like what … or like, are you crazy? Like this is crazy … And I was expecting him to go out and say that to everybody. I don’t care if he even made a Facebook post about it or just anything.
Hannah says Brian never told her what she needed to hear. But then, incredibly, she changed her mind about the divorce.
Hannah Pettey: I called my attorney. I was like, I don’t want to go through with the divorce … like I don’t think he did it. I said there must be something else.
Anne-Marie Green: Hannah told you not to sign the divorce papers?
Brian Mann: Yes.
Anne-Marie Green: Because why?
Brian Mann: Because she knew her mother had made up this whole thing and it was just another crazy Nicole episode.
When Hannah’s family doctor heard what was going on, Nicole says he wanted to have Hannah involuntarily committed because he feared Brian would kill her. And Hannah’s next move caused even more consternation: she asked McDearmond to drop the investigation.
Hannah Pettey: I said, “he’s a family man.” I said, “he loves me. He loves the kids.” … It just doesn’t make sense.
McDearmond knew without Hannah’s help, the criminal case against Brian would likely collapse. But he understood what Hannah was feeling.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: It’s typical of domestic violence … to forgive your abuser …
McDearmond asked Hannah to sign a specific form that he’d prepared.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: And she said, well, what do I have to sign this for? … And I said, well, if … Brian were to kill you in the future, and somebody from your family … comes and says that we didn’t do our due diligence in the investigation, then I can show them that you didn’t want to pursue it. … So, if you want to go ahead and sign that, then we’ll close it up. And she said, “No, I’m not going to sign that.” … She said, “I want you to keep going.”
Ultimately, she decided to proceed with the divorce and cooperate with the criminal investigation.
Anne Marie Green: What do you learn from Hannah?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: … more than anything insurance policies.
Hannah told McDearmond that Brian had taken out life insurance policies on her while they were still dating. McDearmond learned that when Hannah was in the hospital fighting for her life, Brian tried to take out even more policies. If they were approved, Brian would have collected more than $5 million upon Hannah’s death.
Anne-Marie Green: And that gave you what?
Lt. Alan McDearmond: Well it gives you motive … money’s a motive, money’s a huge motive.
At that point, McDearmond felt he’d collected enough evidence to move ahead and so did prosecutor Garrick Vickery.
Garrick Vickery: We knew Hannah had been poisoned, that it was intentional and that it was ingested.
Anne-Marie Green: You don’t have any capsules with lead. You have a theory, you have a suspect, and you have what you believe is a motive. Why were you confident that this was enough to put in front of a grand jury?
Garrick Vickery: Nothing else made sense … In this case, the evidence was clear that lead was getting into her system. So, then you rewind the tape, you back up, and you see how that lead could have gotten into her system. … And Brian Mann was the only person who had access to Hannah.
Brian Mann was arrested and charged with attempted murder. He pleaded not guilty.
Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
The grand jury agreed and in September 2022, Brian Mann was arrested and pleaded “not guilty” to attempted murder. He was freed on a $500,000 bond but was required to report to jail every weekend.
Anne-Marie Green: Can I see the ankle monitor?
Brian Mann: Sure.
Anne-Marie Green: What’s it like having to wear that?
Brian Mann: … I mean, it’s definitely annoying.
Police still had nothing connecting Brian to any form of lead. But then, they got an unexpected call. Turns out Danny Hill thought he knew exactly where the lead came from.
It all began when Brian asked Hill, a contractor, to line his X-ray room at his chiropractic office with, you guessed it: lead. Hill had recognized Brian from a newspaper article about his arrest and got in touch with McDearmond.
Danny Hill: You do an X-ray room, the walls have to be lined with lead … for the protection of the people outside the room. … We did it with rolls of soft lead that we just covered the walls with and then put drywall all over the top of that.
“48 Hours” asked Hill to obtain a sample of the same type of lead he installed in Brian’s office.
The lead was heavy but surprisingly soft and malleable. Hill showed us how easy it is to scrape the sheet of lead into tiny shavings — just like pencil shavings —and how easy it is to put those shavings into an empty pill capsule.
Contractor Danny Hill showed “48 Hours” how easy it is to scrape the sheet of lead into tiny shavings.
CBS News
Danny Hill: … that’s just the shaving of the lead.
Anne-Marie Green: Oh.
Danny Hill: This soft.
After Hill was done with the V-ray room, he asked Brian if he should dispose of the remaining lead.
Danny Hill: And he said, I’ll take care of it …
Hill’s information sent cops directly to Brian’s office. Prior to Hill’s revelations, the Hartselle Police Department did not have probable cause. Now they did.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: And we got a search warrant. We went in and we took a section of that out …
A thin sheet of lead recovered from inside a section of a wall in the X-ray room of Brian Mann’s chiropractic office.
Hartselle Police Department
Lt. Alan McDearmond: The lead that we recovered from the office was very thin … it would be thin enough that it could be shaved or whatever.
Anne-Marie Green: Tell me about how important that phone call was from the contractor.
Garrick Vickery: It was vitally important. It’s always necessary … to put your murder weapon into the hands of a defendant.
But Brian insists the state’s case is weak, and so he got himself a strong advocate — bodybuilder and defense lawyer Chad Morgan.
Chad Morgan: There’s no reason that any of their evidence should be able to get into a courtroom …
Going into the trial in June 2025, Brian had been forbidden any visitation with his children for more than two years. He says it was just unfair.
Brian Mann: I should have never been separated from my kids. … I’m going to be back in their lives. … I’ve just been waiting for my chance.
The trial of Brian Mann
Anne-Marie Green: How does it feel to know that someone tried to kill you?
Hannah Pettey: … at night I get really creeped out thinking about that someone poisoned me for a long, long time …
BEN HOOVER [ Local news report]: The state started its case today against a Morgan County chiropractor charged with attempting to kill his wife … Mann maintains his innocence …
In June 2025, defendant Brian Mann walks into a Decatur, Alabama, courthouse, facing a possible life sentence. No cameras are permitted inside the courtroom during the trial.
Anne-Marie Green: What was your working theory as to what happened in this case with this crime?
Garrick Vickery: It really begins months before Hannah ever appears at UAB Hospital …
Lead prosecutor Garrick Vickery.
Garrick Vickery: In terms of a — a theory, it mostly was that he made a decision to slowly poison her, to gain this life insurance, to rid himself of a sweet, sweet person …
Brian’s defense attorney Chad Morgan tells the jury that police never found any lead-filled capsules in Brian’s home, office or anywhere else.
Chad Morgan: … they searched the entire house top to bottom, never found one piece of lead.
Garrick Vickery: One of the issues we had was that Brian Mann had months and months … to execute his plan and then to get rid of the evidence. …
But the state does have Hannah, and prosecutors make her the first witness.
Anne-Marie Green: Did you look at Brian when you walked into the courtroom?
Hannah Pettey: I did …
Anne-Marie Green: … was that the man that you had fallen in love with?
Hannah Pettey: No, I mean, I saw someone totally different …
Hannah tells the jury how Brian supplied her with vitamin capsules each night even when her pain was so intense she could barely swallow.
Hannah Pettey: I remember, um, being in bed one night and I was in so much pain, and I was so nauseous … and Brian was like … I put your vitamins on your nightstand. … And he was like, “you need to take ’em.” And I was like, I just can’t tonight. I do not think I can keep anything else down. … and he was like freaking out about it. Like he was like, “you gotta take it” …
Anne-Marie Green: How easy would it have been to put lead in those capsules?
Garrick Vickery: Tremendously easy … Anyone that’s sharpened a pencil could see how easy it is to get lead shavings. … And once you have that and you have two hands to separate a pill and put it back together, you’ve got all the instruments you need to try to murder your spouse.
Brian’s attorney alleges Hannah’s own mother Nicole could have been the one poisoning Hannah.
Chad Morgan: I’m suggesting they’re looking in the wrong place.
He claims Nicole gave Hannah milkshakes that could have been laced with lead.
Chad Morgan: … tell me why her mom was coming to her house every day for almost a year, giving her a milkshake.
Anne-Marie Green: Did you look into her mother?
Kelly Cimino: The thought was considered … you — you don’t want to rule anyone out before.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Cimino.
Kelly Cimino: And Nicole just didn’t have that kind of access to her daughter.
Anne-Marie Green: Did your mom bring you milkshakes?
Hannah Pettey: No, not that I recall …I don’t even like milkshakes. I really don’t even like milkshakes … I don’t drink milkshakes.
Hannah tells the jury how the pain affected her. Her body, in a sense, the crime scene and her brain scans, blood work and X-rays are discussed in open court. But there’s something she’s been holding back until she takes the stand.
Hannah Pettey: It is kind of emotional to talk about the fact that I can’t have children anymore.
On the day she was discharged, Hannah was smiling but, inside, she was heartbroken. Doctors had just told her she could no longer have children. She was only 22 years old.
When it’s Nicole’s turn to take the stand, she thinks she knows what’s coming from Brian’s defense attorney.
Nicole Pettey: I know … that he was gonna try to say that, possibly say that I had did this. … And I wasn’t really concerned about that because … I didn’t do it …
Cimino explains why prosecutors believe Brian used lead-filled capsules instead of mixing the lead into her food.
Kelly Cimino: … she would have tasted it. … And so that’s where … the … theory of the capsule comes in because it’s the only way that she would’ve willingly put it in her mouth and swallowed it and not noticed anything different …
After a day-and-a-half and seven witnesses, the state rests its case. And then so does the defense. Chad Morgan calls no witnesses.
Hannah Pettey: I was shocked that they’ve had three years to put this together and then it comes out that he has no defense at all.
Brian’s lawyer says he did his job and maintains that the lack of evidence in the state’s case is the best evidence of all.
Chad Morgan: There was a lot of assumptions about this is lead and that’s lead, but there was not one person that testified to anything that they actually saw him do, touch or even begin to believe that … she ingested something he gave her.
The jury gets the case on a Wednesday afternoon, and the next day returns a verdict: guilty.
Jeff Sollee: There was a — about a second of shock … I don’t think he was expecting that.
Juror Jeff Solee.
Jeff Sollee: That guy’s a monster.
Anne-Marie Green: Why do you say that?
Jeff Sollee: The arrogance it takes to essentially watch somebody waste away … And then not only watch during the poisoning, but also watch during, you know, the downfall. … I think that takes a very special person.
Hannah Pettey: … it took me a few seconds for it to — to … sink in that it was a guilty verdict. …I just immediately started feeling the tears well up because it was just this build up and I just had to step out.
Lt. Alan McDearmond: This is a great win for all domestic violence victims, especially those that are scared to come forward.
McDearmond is now chief of the Hartselle Police Department.And after a lot of reflection, Hannah allows herself to consider a hard truth.
Anne-Marie Green: Do you think he ever loved you?
Hannah Pettey: No, I truly don’t think that he did … I just don’t think any of it was real.
Anne-Marie Green: It’s gotta be hard to say.
Hannah Pettey: Yeah.
Anne-Marie Green: Cause it was real for you.
Hannah Pettey: Yes. It was very real for me.
Now it’s very real for Brian who was sentenced to life in prison in August 2025. And Hannah, who was once feared to be so brain-damaged that she would never be able to testify, graduated from college with a teaching degree.
Hannah Pettey
Carly Humphries Photography
Anne-Marie Green: And what does Hannah’s new life look like?
Hannah Pettey: You know I’m a teacher, so I’m starting at a new school this year. So, I’m just gonna focus on being the best teacher that I can be and … being the best mother I can be.
Life got even sweeter for Hannah when she and the children moved back into their old home, the one they used to share with Brian.
Hannah Pettey: I’ve repainted … I redecorated everything, cleaned it up really good. … I got all my stuff moved in there and just pictures of us three all in there. So now it feels like ours.
Hannah and Brian remain married. The next court date for the divorce proceedings is December 2026.
Produced by Paul La Rosa. David Dow and Tamara Weitzman are the development producers. Charlotte Fuller is the field producer. Wini Dini and Greg Kaplan are the editors. Dena Goldstein is the field producer. Nancy Bautista is the associate producer. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer.
As health officials investigate more than 30 cases of infant botulism linked to ByHeart baby formula since August, parents who say their children were sickened with the same illness months before the current outbreak are demanding answers, too.
California public health officials confirmed late Friday that six babies in that state who consumed ByHeart formula were treated for botulism between November 2024 and June 2025, up to nine months before the outbreak that has sickened at least 31 babies in 15 states.
At the time, there was “not enough evidence to immediately suspect a common source,” the California Department of Public Health said in a statement.
Even now, “we cannot connect any pre-August 1 cases to the current outbreak,” officials said.
Parents of at least five babies said that their infants were treated for the rare and potentially deadly disease after drinking ByHeart formula in late 2024 and early 2025, according to reports shared with The Associated Press by Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer representing the families.
Amy Mazziotti, 43, of Burbank, California, said her then-5-month-old son, Hank, fell ill and was treated for botulism in March, weeks after he began drinking bottles filled with ByHeart formula.
Katie Connolly, 37, of Lafayette, California, said her daughter, M.C., then 8 months old, was hospitalized in April and treated for botulism after being fed ByHeart formula in hopes of helping the baby sleep.
For months, neither mother had any idea where the infections could have originated. Such illnesses in babies typically are caused by spores spread in the environment or by contaminated honey.
Then ByHeart recalled all of its products nationwide on Nov. 11 in connection with growing cases of infant botulism.
As soon as she heard it was ByHeart, Mazziotti said she thought: “This cannot be a coincidence.”
ByHeart officials this week confirmed that laboratory tests of previously unopened formula found that some samples were contaminated with the type of bacteria that leads to infant botulism.
Marler said at least three other cases that predate the outbreak involved babies who drank ByHeart and were treated for botulism, according to their families. One consumed ByHeart formula in December 2024. The other two were sickened later in the spring, he said.
An official with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said federal investigators were aware of reports of earlier illnesses but that efforts are focused now on understanding the unusual surge of dozens of infections documented since Aug. 1.
“That doesn’t mean that they’re not necessarily part of this,” said Dr. Jennifer Cope, a CDC scientist leading the probe. “It’s just that right now, we’re focusing on this large increase.”
Because so much time has passed and because parents of babies who got sick earlier may not have recorded lot numbers of product or kept empty cans of formula, “it will make it harder to definitively link them” to the outbreak, Cope said.
Connolly said it feels like her daughter has been forgotten.
“What I want to know is why did the cases beginning in August flag an investigation, but the cases that began in March did not?” Connolly said.
Cope and other health officials said the strong signal connecting ByHeart to infant botulism cases only became apparent in recent weeks.
Before this outbreak, no powdered infant formula in the U.S. had tested positive for the type of bacteria that leads to botulism, California health officials said. The number of cases also were within an expected range. A test of a can of open formula fed to a sick baby in the spring did not detect the bacterium.
Then, beginning in August and through October, more cases were identified on the East Coast involving a type of toxin rarely detected in the region, officials said. More cases were seen in very young infants and more cases involved ByHeart formula, which accounts for less than 1 percent of infant formula sold in the U.S.
Earlier this month, after a sample from a can of ByHeart formula fed to a sick infant tested positive for the germ that leads to illness, officials notified the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the public.
Less than 200 cases of infant botulism are reported in the U.S. each year. The disease is caused when babies ingest spores that germinate in the gut and produce a toxin. The bacterium that leads to illness is ubiquitous in the environment, including soil and water, so the source is often unknown.
Officials at the California Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program track reports of botulism and the distribution of the only treatment for the illness, an IV medication called BabyBIG.
Outside food safety experts said the CDC should count earlier cases as part of the outbreak if babies consumed ByHeart formula and were treated for botulism.
“Absolutely, yes, they should be included,” said Frank Yiannas, former deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Why wouldn’t they be included?”
Sandra Eskin, chief executive of STOP Foodborne Illness, an advocacy group, agreed.
“This outbreak is traumatic for parents,” she said. “They may have fed their newborns and infants a product they assumed was safe. And now they’re dealing with hospitalization and serious illness of their babies.”
Connolly and Mazziotti said their babies are improving, though they still have some lingering effects. Botulism causes symptoms that include constipation, poor feeding, head and limb weakness and other problems.
After months of uncertainty about the potential cause of the infection, Connolly said she “became completely obsessed” with the link to ByHeart formula. Now, she just wants answers.
“We deserve to know the data that can help us understand how our babies got sick,” she said.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
As cases of potentially deadly botulism in babies who drank ByHeart infant formula continue to grow, state officials say they are still finding the recalled product on some store shelves.
Meanwhile the company reported late Wednesday that laboratory tests confirmed that some samples of formula were contaminated with the type of bacteria that has sickened more than 30 babies in the outbreak.
Tests by an independent food safety laboratory found Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces toxins that can lead to potentially life threatening illness in babies younger than 1, the company said on its website. ByHeart officials said they notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the findings but did not specify how many samples were tested or how many were positive.
“We are working to investigate the facts, conduct ongoing testing to identify the source, and ensure this does not happen to families again,” ByHeart said on its website.
The FDA did not immediately respond to questions about the findings.
The lab results come as investigators in at least three states found ByHeart formula still for sale even after the New York-based company recalled all products nationwide, officials told The Associated Press.
At least 31 babies in 15 states who drank ByHeart formula have been hospitalized and treated for infantile botulism since August, federal health officials said Wednesday. They range in age from about 2 weeks to about 6 months, with the most recent case reported on Nov. 13.
No deaths have been reported.
In Oregon, nine of more than 150 stores checked still had the formula on shelves this week, a state agriculture official said. In Minnesota, investigators conducted 119 checks between Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 and removed recalled products from sale at four sites, an agriculture department official said. An Arizona health official also said they found the product available.
Businesses and consumers should remain alert, Minnesota officials said in a statement. “No affected product should be sold or consumed,” they wrote.
Investigators with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted inspections at ByHeart manufacturing plants in Allerton, Iowa, and Portland, Oregon. No results from the inspections have been reported.
California officials previously confirmed the germ that can lead to illness in an open can of ByHeart formula fed to a baby who fell ill.
Infant botulism, which can cause paralysis and death, is caused by a type of bacteria that forms spores that germinate in a baby’s gut and produce a toxin.
Symptoms can take up to 30 days to develop and include constipation, poor feeding, a weak cry, drooping eyelids or a flat facial expression. Babies can develop weakness in their limbs and head and may feel “floppy.” They can have trouble swallowing or breathing.
ByHeart had been manufacturing about 200,000 cans of formula per month. It was sold online or at retail stores such as Target and Walmart. A Walmart spokesperson said the company swiftly issued a restriction that prevented sale of the formula, removed the product from stores and notified consumers who had bought it. Customers can visit any store for a refund of the formula, which sold for about $42 per can.
Federal and state health officials are concerned that some parents and caregivers may still have ByHeart products in their homes. They are advising consumers to stop using the product — including formula in cans and any single-serve sticks. They also suggest marking it “DO NOT USE” and keeping it for at least a month in case a baby develops symptoms. In that case, the formula would need to be tested.
The California health department operates the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program, which tracks cases and distributes treatment for the disease. Officials there have launched a public hotline at 833-398-2022, which is staffed with health officials from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
The new hotline was created after calls from hundreds of parents and caregivers flooded a different, longstanding hotline for doctors to discuss suspected infant botulism cases, officials said.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Stephen and Yurany Dexter, of Flagstaff, Arizona, said their 4-month-old daughter, Rose, had to be flown by air ambulance to a children’s hospital two hours from home and treated for several weeks this summer.
Michael and Hanna Everett, of Richmond, Kentucky, said their daughter, Piper, also 4 months, was rushed to a hospital Nov. 8 with worsening symptoms of the rare and potentially deadly disease.
“It was just absolutely terrifying,” Hanna Everett told CBS News in an interview Thursday. “You know, we just kind of felt like we failed as a parent in some ways.”
Everett said they were unaware of the recall prior to her daughter consuming the ByHeart formula.
“She had finished that entire can, literally, the day before the recall,” Everett said.
The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in two states, allege that the ByHeart formula the babies consumed was defective and that the company was negligent in selling it. They seek financial payment for medical bills, emotional distress and other harm.
“My hopes right now is that they’re able to catch it before their children get too sick, before they have to be on ventilators,” Everett said.
Yurany Dexter holds her 4-month-old daughter, who was recently hospitalized for botulism, at their home in Flagstaff, Arizona, on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025.
Cheyanne Mumphrey / AP
Both families said they bought the organic formula to provide what they viewed as a natural, healthier alternative to traditional baby formulas, and that they were shocked and angered by the suffering their children endured.
“I wouldn’t guess that a product designed for a helpless, developing human in the United States could cause something this severe,” said Stephen Dexter, 44.
“She’s so little and you’re just helplessly watching this,” Hanna previously told the Associated Press. “It was awful.”
Rose Dexter and Piper Everett are among at least 15 infants in a dozen states who have been sickened in the outbreak that began in August, according to federal and state health officials. No deaths have been reported.
Both received the sole treatment available for botulism in children less than a year old: an IV medication called BabyBIG, made from the blood plasma of people immunized against the neurotoxins that cause the illness.
Investigations into more potential botulism cases are pending after ByHeart, the New York-based formula manufacturer, recalled all of its formula nationwide on Tuesday. At least 84 U.S. babies have been treated for infantile botulism since August, including those in the outbreak, California officials said.
It can take up to 30 days for signs of infantile botulism infection to appear, medical experts said. The symptoms can include drooping eyelids, diminished suck and gag reflexes, and a weak and altered cry, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children suspected of being sick with infant botulism should get medical attention as soon as possible, the CDC says.
ByHeart sells about 200,000 cans of formula per month. FDA commissioner Marty Makary told CBS News that the company sells about 1% of the baby formula purchased in the U.S., and that there is no risk of a formula shortage due to the recall.
A package of ByHeart brand baby formula.
Business Wire via AP
California officials confirmed that a sample from an open can of ByHeart formula fed to an infant who fell ill contained the type of bacteria that can lead to illness.
The lawsuits filed Wednesday could be the first of many legal actions against ByHeart, said Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer who represents Dexter.
“This company potentially faces an existential crisis,” he said.
ByHeart officials didn’t respond to questions about the new lawsuits but said they would “address any legal claims in due course.”
“We remain focused on ensuring that families using ByHeart products are aware of the recall and have factual information about steps they should take,” the company said in a statement.
In a separate statement provided to CBS News Thursday, the company said, “We express our deepest sympathy to the families currently impacted by the cases of infant botulism.”
In Rose Dexter’s case, she received ByHeart formula within days of her birth in July after breast milk was insufficient, her father said. Stephen Dexter said he went to Whole Foods to find a “natural option.”
In this photo provided by Stephen Dexter, his 2-month-old daughter Rose Dexter is being treated for infantile botulism at Phoenix Children’s Hospital on Sept. 4, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Stephen Dexter / AP
“I’m a little concerned with things that are in food that may cause problems,” he said. “We do our best to buy something that says it’s organic.”
But Rose, who was healthy at birth, didn’t thrive on the formula. She had trouble feeding and was fussy and fretful as she got sicker. On Aug. 31, when she was 8 weeks old, her parents couldn’t wake her.
Rose was flown by air ambulance to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she stayed for nearly two weeks.
Hanna Everett told the AP she used ByHeart to supplement breastfeeding starting when Piper was 6 weeks old.
“It’s supposed to be similar to breast milk,” she said.
Last weekend, Piper started showing signs of illness. Everett said she became more worried when a friend told her ByHeart had recalled two lots of its Whole Nutrition Infant Formula. When a family member checked the empty cans, they matched the recalled lots.
This photo provided by Hanna Everett shows 4-month-old Piper Everett being treated for infantile botulism on Nov. 10, 2025, in a Kentucky hospital.
Hanna Everett / AP
“I was like, ‘Oh my god, we need to go to the ER,” Everett recalled to the AP.
At Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Piper’s condition worsened rapidly. Her pupils stopped dilating correctly and she lost her gag reflex. Her head and arms became limp and floppy.
Doctors immediately ordered doses of the BabyBIG medication, which had to be shipped from California, Hanna said. In the meantime, Piper had to have a feeding tube and IV lines inserted.
In both cases, the babies improved after receiving treatment. Rose went home in September and she no longer requires a feeding tube. Piper went home this week.
They appear to be doing well on different formulas, the families said.
Federal and state health officials are investigating 13 cases in 10 states of infant botulism linked to baby formula that was being recalled, authorities said Saturday.
ByHeart Inc. agreed to begin recalling two lots of the company’s Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.
All 13 infants were hospitalized after consuming formula from two lots: 206VABP/251261P2 and 206VABP/251131P2.
The cases occurred in Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.
No deaths were reported. The FDA said it was investigating how the contamination happened and whether it affected any other products.
Available online and through major retailers, the product accounted for an estimated 1% of national formula sales, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People who bought the recalled formula should record the lot number if possible before throwing it out or returning it to where it was purchased, the CDC said in a statement.
They should use a dishwasher or hot, soapy water to clean items and surfaces that touched the formula. And they should seek medical care right away if an infant has consumed recalled formula and then had poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing or decreased facial expression.
Infant botulism is caused by a bacterium that produces toxins in the large intestine.
Symptoms can take weeks to develop, so parents should keep vigilant, the CDC said.
A ByHeart spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday.
A man became violently ill after drinking wine his estranged wife had tampered with, authorities say.
Unsplash via Bernd Dittrich
A man became violently ill after consuming a beverage that had been tampered with by his estranged wife, Connecticut authorities say.
The 34-year-old victim, from Ridgefield, was brought to a hospital in early August after he was “slurring his words, staggering and vomiting,” according to a Connecticut State Police affidavit.
He told troopers he had drank part of a leftover bottle of wine, and he suspected his estranged wife, 33-year-old Kristen Hogan, had poisoned it when he wasn’t home, the affidavit says.
“Victim #1 stated that Kristen Hogan has full unrestricted access to his home,” troopers said. “Victim #1 believed that a motive for him being poisoned is the fact that Hogan would become the full owner of the residence and would gain full-time custody of their child.”
Testing indicated a toxic chemical — ethylene glycol— was in the wine and the man’s blood, state police said. Ethylene glycol is among the ingredients listed in antifreeze.
In the days before her estranged husband became ill, Hogan had searched for various chemicals and asked how much of them “would kill you,” according to the court documents.
The man believed Hogan poisoned his wine on Aug. 7 when they were scheduled to appear in court together, troopers said. A day earlier, Hogan, who never arrived in court, had searched on Google “penalty for not appearing for court hearing for your own motion,” court records show.
Interviewed by troopers, Hogan said she missed the court date because she was in Rhode Island with her family, investigators said.
But cell phone analysis showed Hogan was in the immediate area of her estranged husband’s Ridgefield home when she was supposed to appear in court, state police said.
She was asked about the chemicals she searched and said she purchaseda bottle of monoethylene glycol to clean her mother’s carpet.
Hogan initially denied poisoning her estranged husband, according to police, but later changed her story.
Investigators said Hogan admitted to putting an “unknown amount” of the chemical into the wine, as well as an iced tea bottle on a separate day.
“(She) stated that she never intended to kill him, but just wanted to make him sick as payback for him being mentally abusive,” state police said.
Hogan was arrested Oct. 3 and charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of interfering with an officer, court records show. She was jailed on a $1 million bond.
Ridgfield is about a 30-mile drive northwest from Bridgeport.
Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter.
A man became violently ill after drinking wine his estranged wife had tampered with, authorities say.
Unsplash via Bernd Dittrich
A man became violently ill after consuming a beverage that had been tampered with by his estranged wife, Connecticut authorities say.
The 34-year-old victim, from Ridgefield, was brought to a hospital in early August after he was “slurring his words, staggering and vomiting,” according to a Connecticut State Police affidavit.
He told troopers he had drank part of a leftover bottle of wine, and he suspected his estranged wife, 33-year-old Kristen Hogan, had poisoned it when he wasn’t home, the affidavit says.
“Victim #1 stated that Kristen Hogan has full unrestricted access to his home,” troopers said. “Victim #1 believed that a motive for him being poisoned is the fact that Hogan would become the full owner of the residence and would gain full-time custody of their child.”
Testing indicated a toxic chemical — ethylene glycol— was in the wine and the man’s blood, state police said. Ethylene glycol is among the ingredients listed in antifreeze.
In the days before her estranged husband became ill, Hogan had searched for various chemicals and asked how much of them “would kill you,” according to the court documents.
The man believed Hogan poisoned his wine on Aug. 7 when they were scheduled to appear in court together, troopers said. A day earlier, Hogan, who never arrived in court, had searched on Google “penalty for not appearing for court hearing for your own motion,” court records show.
Interviewed by troopers, Hogan said she missed the court date because she was in Rhode Island with her family, investigators said.
But cell phone analysis showed Hogan was in the immediate area of her estranged husband’s Ridgefield home when she was supposed to appear in court, state police said.
She was asked about the chemicals she searched and said she purchaseda bottle of monoethylene glycol to clean her mother’s carpet.
Hogan initially denied poisoning her estranged husband, according to police, but later changed her story.
Investigators said Hogan admitted to putting an “unknown amount” of the chemical into the wine, as well as an iced tea bottle on a separate day.
“(She) stated that she never intended to kill him, but just wanted to make him sick as payback for him being mentally abusive,” state police said.
Hogan was arrested Oct. 3 and charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of interfering with an officer, court records show. She was jailed on a $1 million bond.
Ridgfield is about a 30-mile drive northwest from Bridgeport.
Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter.
At least 19 people have died this month of suspected alcohol poisoning in Russia’s western Leningrad region, local officials said Friday.
Incidents of mass deaths from drinking cheap homemade alcohol substitutes are not uncommon in Russia, which has been blighted by high levels of alcoholism for years.
The regional government’s press service said in a statement that “19 deaths after alcohol consumption were recorded in the Slantsy District in September.”
It added that eight cases had so far been “laboratory-confirmed as methanol poisoning.”
Investigators said they had detained a man and a woman after prosecutors opened a criminal case to probe “the poisoning of several residents of the Slantsy District with counterfeit alcohol.”
Earlier this week, prosecutors sentenced two people to almost a decade in prison for manufacturing and selling a counterfeit cider drink that killed 50 people in 2023.
Members of the Russian Investigative Committee investigate a factory where the alcohol-containing drink called “Mister Cider”, which caused poisonings and deaths, was produced, in Samara, Russia, in this picture released June 5, 2023.
Investigative Committee of Russia for the Samara Region/Handout via REUTERS
And in 2016, more than 60 people died in Irkutsk in Siberia after drinking contraband bath oil that contained methanol.
Russia toughened its legislation after that incident, but cheap homemade spirits using alcohol substitutes remain widely available, particularly in rural areas with low standards of living and where the price of vodka is prohibitively high.
Tainted alcohol has also had deadly consequences in other countries in recent months.
In May, more than 20 people died in India after drinking tainted liquor. Nine people were in custody, police said.
Dog parents see their fair share of emergency cases. But here’s the good news: being informed about common emergencies can help you stay calm and take the right actions when your dog needs you most. Here are some situations you should be aware of.
When Your Dog’s Belly Becomes a Ticking Time Bomb
Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), is a life-threatening condition in which a dog’s stomach fills with gas and potentially twists on itself. Large, deep-chested breeds are especially prone. Watch for symptoms like a swollen abdomen, unsuccessful attempts to vomit, and restlessness. If you suspect bloat, it’s crucial to get to a vet immediately – this is a true emergency where every minute counts.
When Fun in the Sun Turns Dangerous
Dogs can’t sweat like we do, making them vulnerable to overheating. Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, drooling, reddened gums, vomiting, and collapse. If you suspect heatstroke, move your dog to a cool area immediately, offer small amounts of water, and use cool (not cold) water to wet their coat. Then, head to the vet right away.
Curiosity Can Be Toxic
Dogs are curious creatures, sometimes to their detriment. Common toxins include chocolate, xylitol (found in sugar-free gum), grapes and raisins, onions, and certain plants. Symptoms of poisoning vary but can include vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, or collapse. If you suspect your dog has ingested something toxic, call your vet or a pet poison helpline immediately.
When Accidents Happen
Whether it’s a car accident, a fall, or a fight with another animal, trauma can lead to serious injuries. Look for signs like limping, bleeding, swelling, or changes in behavior. Even if external injuries aren’t apparent, internal damage could be present. When in doubt, a vet visit is always the safest decision.
When Your Dog’s Brain Short-Circuits
Witnessing your dog have a seizure can be terrifying. During a seizure, clear the area around your dog to prevent injury, and never put your hand near their mouth. Time the seizure if possible. Once it’s over, keep your dog calm and call your vet. If the seizure lasts more than five minutes or your dog has multiple seizures, it’s time for immediate veterinary care.
When Something’s Stuck
If your dog is choking, they may paw at their mouth, gag, or have difficulty breathing. For a conscious dog, you can try gently removing the object if you can see it. If you can’t, or if your dog loses consciousness, perform the canine Heimlich maneuver and rush to the vet.
The Bottom Line: Be Prepared, Not Scared
While these situations are scary, remember that knowledge and quick action can make all the difference. Keep your vet’s number and the nearest emergency vet clinic’s information easily accessible. Consider taking a pet first aid course to feel more confident in handling emergencies.
Remember, you’re your dog’s first line of defense in an emergency. By staying informed and prepared, you’re giving your best friend the best chance at a quick recovery should the unexpected occur. Here’s to happy, healthy adventures with your canine companion!
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The warm, soggy summer across much of the Midwest has produced a bumper crop of wild mushrooms — and a surge in calls to poison control centers.
At the Minnesota Regional Poison Center, calls from April through July more than tripled over the same period last year, said Samantha Lee, the center’s director. The center took 90 calls for potential exposures over that period, compared to 26 calls for the same months in 2023. Exposures include people who have had actual or suspected contact with potentially poisonous mushrooms and who may or may not develop symptoms, she said.
The cases can include kids who didn’t know what they were doing and foragers who make mistakes, she said. But those numbers don’t include people who are merely curious about whether the mushrooms popping out of their yards are good to eat.
“Fortunately the majority of the time these tend to be mild symptoms,” Lee said. “A lot of these are mushrooms that were in the yard or nearby parks. Many of these cause upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea, but every year we do get some cases with serious outcomes.”
The situation appears to be similar throughout wetter areas of the country this spring and summer. Kait Brown, clinical managing director of America’s Poison Centers, said calls were up 26% across all states and territories for April through June.
“There are probably a couple areas in the country that are experiencing large case volumes that could be related to different weather patterns,” Brown said. However, she said her office doesn’t have state-by-state data to pinpoint exactly where.
The Minnesota poison center issued a warning this month that wild mushrooms can be hard for untrained people to identify. Common ones that typically cause milder symptoms include the little brown mushrooms that grow in yards and the small white mushrooms that can form “fairy rings,” Brown said. But some deadly species also grow in the area, including one popularly known as the “death angel” or “destroying angel.” They can cause liver failure.
Foraging for edible wild mushrooms has become increasingly popular in recent years, even before the pandemic, said Peter Martignacco, president of the Minnesota Mycological Society.
“The metro area of Minneapolis-St. Paul itself is having a huge year for mushrooms due to the previous few years of severe drought followed by this year’s extremely wet and cool spring, with consistent moisture thereafter,” said Tim Clemens, a professional forager and teacher who consults for the Minnesota poison center.
The best way to learn what’s safe is to go out with an experienced mushroom hunter, said Martignacco, whose group organizes frequent forays throughout the state. Although there are good guide books, identification apps can be inaccurate and there are guide books generated by artificial intelligence that are “notoriously useless,” Clemens said. The misleading information can cause people to make very serious mistakes, he added.
“I’m not sure what motivates them to eat something when you don’t know what it is, but some people do that,” he said.
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This story was corrected to reflect that calls to the Minnesota Regional Poison Center about potential exposures to poisonous mushrooms from April through July more than tripled over the same period from the previous year, not that they were up by 150%.
A pest control company that was accused of putting people and pets at risk in D.C. has agreed to pay the District nearly $140,000 in civil penalties and cleanup costs.
A Maryland-based pest control company that was accused of putting people and pets at risk in D.C. has agreed to pay the District nearly $140,000 in civil penalties and cleanup costs.
“Each pesticide has a label, and you have to apply pesticides in accordance with that label,” said D.C. Assistant Attorney General Wesley Rosenfeld.
Kenmore Pest Control & Termite Services was accused of ignoring safety regulations and laying down hazardous chemicals in areas that were easily accessible to children and animals. The company was also accused of allowing unlicensed employees to apply pesticides.
“Kenmore did not apply pesticides on several occasions in accordance with its label, which led to a risk to health and the environment,” Rosenfeld said.
WTOP reached out to the company for comment but did not receive a response.
According to the settlement, Kenmore agreed to pay out $125,000 in civil penalties and $12,000 to cover D.C.’s costs to clean up any environmental contamination.
The company was accused of improperly applying pesticides around two apartment complexes, including the Mayfair Mansion Apartments in Northeast and Columbia Heights Village in Northwest.
At Columbia Heights Village, the situation led to a dog being poisoned.
“On one occasion, a resident’s dog consumed the pesticide,” Rosenfeld said. “Our investigation showed that the dog was harmed and that the resident had incurred veterinary expenses.”
The dog is fine now, Rosenfeld added, but the owner did have to take the dog to the vet to have its stomach pumped.
At Mayfair Mansion Apartments, D.C. had to bring in crews for a substantial project to clean up the contaminated area.
“They dug up the soil and put it into barrels, which were then transported to the appropriate disposal facilities,” Rosenfeld said.
As part of the settlement, the company must ensure that all of its employees have the proper licenses with the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment.
Current employees “are barred from applying pesticides until they receive eight hours of continuing education training in pest management,” according to the settlement.
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RALEIGH, N.C. — Three U.S. Marines found unresponsive in a car at a North Carolina gas station died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the local sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
Deputies from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office found the three men Sunday morning in a privately owned Lexus sedan parked outside a Speedway gas station in the coastal community of Hampstead. Autopsies performed Wednesday by the North Carolina Medical Examiner determined that all three deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Pender County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately make clear whether their deaths were accidental.
“I am saddened by the timeless and tragic death of these three young men, who served our country honorably,” Sheriff Alan Cutler said. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families and colleagues during this time.”
The lance corporals, identified by the U.S. Marine Corps as Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, of Madison, Wisconsin, Merax C. Dockery, 23, of Pottawatomie, Oklahoma, and Ivan R. Garcia, 23, of Naples, Florida, were stationed at nearby Camp Lejeune, 29 miles (47 kilometers) northeast of the gas station. They were motor vehicle operators with the Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2 and 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
Sgt. Chester Ward of the Pender County Sheriff’s Office said the department had received a missing person report early Sunday morning from the mother of one of the Marines after her son failed to arrive on a flight home the night prior.
Dockery’s mother, Heather Glass of Maud, Oklahoma, said Wednesday that she and another relative had driven to the Oklahoma City airport last Saturday evening to wait for her son to fly home for his grandfather’s funeral.
When he didn’t arrive, Glass’ daughter started calling North Carolina hospitals and jails while Glass contacted the sheriff’s office and her son’s sergeant at Camp Lejeune, resulting in a search.
Glass said she assumed that her son died from something like carbon monoxide because all three of the young Marines had died. Breathing too much carbon monoxide makes victims pass out. Ward had said Tuesday before the autopsy that the sheriff’s office did not suspect foul play.
“I was just worried that it was something worse,” she told The Associated Press in a phone interview.
“I’m at peace. I feel at peace because I know he was asleep when he passed,” Glass said.
Dockery was the youngest of five siblings — the rest of them older sisters — and grew up in nearby Seminole. Glass said her son joined the Marines “for personal growth” and so that he could travel, with the possibility of making the military a career.
Glass said funeral arrangements were being assembled, with dates based on where her son’s body can be released to the family.
“He was just a kind soul,” Glass said. “He was liked by everybody. He was a real good kid.”
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Hannah Schoenbaum is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Family members of three tourists who died while staying at an Airbnb in Mexico City, apparently of carbon monoxide poisoning, urged the short-term rental company Thursday to require detectors in properties it lists to prevent future tragedies.
“Our main goal is to try to get the word out to those planning to use short-term rentals like Airbnb,” said Jennifer Marshall, whose son, Jordan Marshall, was one of the travelers. “We want to put pressure on Airbnb to regulate and mandate carbon monoxide detectors going forward. It’s the only way we could think of to honor our children.”
Lawyer L. Chris Stewart of the Atlanta-based firm Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys also said a wrongful death lawsuit is planned against Airbnb and others as a result of the incident.
“We’re asking Airbnb to mandate that all of their listings have detectors,” he said. “They’ve created international and national bans on parties, on weapons, on cameras. They could easily mandate carbon monoxide detectors too. They know they’ve been killing people in their rentals. We know of at least three other cases.”
Stewart said however that they are awaiting information from investigators in Mexico to determine “all the defendants” before filing the suit.
The three travelers who died Oct. 30 were Kandace Florence, 28, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; her longtime friend, Jordan Marshall, 28, who was also from Virginia Beach but was teaching in New Orleans; and Courtez Hall, 33, of New Orleans, who also taught in the city. They visited the country for Day of the Dead and were staying at the vacation rental in an upscale part of Mexico City.
According to news reports, Florence contacted her boyfriend back in the States to say she was feeling sick, and he contacted her Airbnb host to go check on them. Authorities later found all three dead.
In a statement, Airbnb said it has suspended the listing and canceled upcoming reservations pending investigation of the incident.
“This is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones as they grieve such an unimaginable loss. Our priority right now is supporting those impacted as the authorities investigate what happened, and we stand ready to assist with their inquiries however we can,” the company said.
Airbnb said it has not yet confirmed that carbon monoxide exposure was responsible for the deaths but noted that it operates a global program making free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors available to hosts, more than 200,000 of which have been ordered so far.
Airbnb said it is also working with Mexican officials to promote safety practices among hosts and is updating its detector program to expedite shipments in the country.
It added that the site lets prospective guests filter their searches for hosts who report having detectors, and flags any bookings where there are none.
Jennifer Marshall said she hoped her son’s and his friend’s deaths will be a cautionary tale for other travelers.
“We want people to rethink how they vacation,” Marshall said. “Even if we can’t get any action from Airbnb, which would be disappointing, we’re hoping this brings awareness to many. If we can’t depend on corporations to prioritize safety for its customers, we have to make sure we do it for ourselves.”
Freida Florence, Kandace’s mother, said shining a light on Airbnb’s “shortcomings” is a priority.
“We’re asking people to take precautions,” she said. “They don’t obligate or require their hosts to guarantee a carbon monoxide detector, and they should. Doing so could truly save lives. We don’t want any other families to experience what we’ve experienced.”
Florence also called for people to urge lawmakers to help address the issue.
“Our companies know better and should do better,” she said.
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — The commander of the task force responsible for draining fuel from a World War II-era storage tank facility that leaked jet fuel and poisoned Pearl Harbor’s tap water last year said Monday he’s exploring ways to get community feedback.
Rear Adm. John Wade told reporters at a news conference he may establish an advisory group, but he’s not sure yet what form it will take.
He said getting input from the community will help him be more responsive. He said Hawaii’s elected officials told military leaders that it would be valuable for them to give the community a voice in their work.
“I don’t have the structure yet. It’s still a work in progress, but I think it’s something that’s important,” said Wade, the commander of Joint Task Force Red Hill.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Wade’s appointment last month.
In November, jet fuel spilled from a drain line at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, flowed into a drinking water well and then into the Navy’s water system serving 93,000 people in and around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Nearly 6,000 sought medical attention for ailments like nausea, headaches and sores. The military put about 4,000 families in hotels for several months.
The military plans to remove more than 100 million gallons (378.54 million liters) of fuel from the 80-year-old tanks by July 2024, and then close the facility afterward.
Wade said he’s started reaching out to Hawaii’s congressional delegation and other local leaders — including Ernie Lau, the chief engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and one of the strongest critics of how the Navy has managed Red Hill over the past decade.
Kathleen Pahinui, a spokeswoman for the Board of Water Supply, said Lau had a short introductory conference call with Wade on Friday and they expect to host Wade for an in-person meeting soon. She said the call went well and they look forwarding to meeting him and his team in person.
In addition to Lau, Wade said he also met with Hawaii Department of Health Director Dr. Libby Chair and her environmental deputy, Kathleen Ho.
Wade was already assigned to Hawaii last year when the spill occurred, as the person in charge of operations and training at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. He said he wasn’t among those that had to move out their homes, but he — like others — questioned the safety of his water.
Some military families have complained of continuing health problems like seizures and gastrointestinal issues and filed a lawsuit against the federal government in August.
As head of the task force, Wade will report to Austin through Adm. John. C. Aquilino, the Indo-Pacific Command commander.
Indo-Pacific Command said in a news release last month that this “will ensure awareness and support at the highest levels of the Department and as well as provide accurate and timely information to the local community.”
Austin met with Wade last week during a visit to Hawaii that also included meetings with his counterparts from the Philippines, Australia and Japan. Austin didn’t talk to local media afterward.
HONOLULU — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Hawaii this week amid lingering community frustration and distrust after jet fuel from a military storage facility last year spilled into Pearl Harbor’s drinking water, poisoned thousands of military families and threatened the purity of Honolulu’s water supply.
Austin traveled to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in the hills above Pearl Harbor on Friday and met the commander of the joint task force in charge of draining its tanks so it can be shut down.
He also met with several families affected by the fuel spill and Hawaii state officials, the military said in a news release. The meetings were closed to the media, and Austin didn’t hold a news conference afterward.
Outside Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, several dozen protesters held signs saying “Navy Lies” and “Shut Down Red Hill.” People driving by — including many exiting the base — honked in support.
Samantha McCoy, whose husband is in the Air Force, said her family suffered migraines, rashes, skin sores and gastrointestinal problems that only subsided when they moved out of military housing last month.
She called on Austin to make more medical care available to families.
“It took four months of daily migraines to even get a referral to a neurologist. And that’s really unacceptable,” she said at the protest.
Cheri Burness, who lives in Navy housing, won’t drink the tap water in the house she shares with her sailor husband and their two teenage children because she doesn’t believe that it’s safe 10 months after the spill.
Her family has spent $3,000 of their own money to install filters on all the faucets in the house so they can bathe, brush their teeth and wash their dishes. She spends $70 to $100 a month to have water delivered to their home for drinking. They also use bottled water.
She recalled how Navy leaders initially told Pearl Harbor water users their water was safe to drink after the November spill. The Navy only told people to stop drinking their tap water after the state Department of Health stepped in.
The Navy later flushed clean water through its pipes to cleanse them. In March, the state Department of Health said the tap water in all residential areas served by the Navy’s water system was safe to drink.
But Burness said she never got to see the reports for her house after it was tested. She was only told her water was good.
“I don’t trust them because cause they did nothing to show me that it ever was fine,” Burness said in a telephone interview.
A Navy investigation released in July showed a cascading series of errors, complacency and a lack of professionalism led to the fuel spill, which contaminated tap water used by 93,000 people on the Navy’s water system.
Nearly 6,000 sought medical attention for nausea, headaches and rashes. Some continue to complain of health problems.
The military put families up in hotels for several months, but stopped paying once the health department cleared people to resume drinking their tap water.
Kristina Baehr, an attorney with Texas-based Just Well Law, sued the federal government last month on behalf of four families but said she will be adding more individuals from among the 700 clients she represents. Burness and McCoy are among her clients.
“They didn’t warn them to stop drinking it, and 6,000 people went to the emergency room,” she said. “Then, many of these people have only gotten sicker over time.”
Baehr said her clients were not among those chosen to speak to Austin. If they had such an opportunity, she said they would tell him to have officials stop saying no one is medically affected by the spill and that there are no long-term effects.
They would also encourage him to provide appropriate medical care to families, safe housing because families claim the homes were not properly remediated, and compassionate reassignment to other bases to all those who ask.
“A lot of people are still stuck in the houses that made them sick,” she said. “So it’s very simple, let people out of the houses that made them sick and fix the houses so that they’re safe for the next people.”
The spill upset a broad cross-spectrum of Hawaii, from liberals to conservatives and veterans to environmentalists. Many Native Hawaiians have been angered given the centrality of water in Hawaii’s Indigenous traditions. It has also increased deep-seated distrust of the U.S. military among many Native Hawaiians that dates to the U.S. military-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.
Dani Espiritu, who was also at Friday’s protest, said the military was taking risks with Native Hawaiian lives, land and culture.
“All of our cultural practices are tied to aina,” she said, using the Hawaiian word for land. “And so as you poison aina and jeopardize the health and well-being of communities, you are also jeopardizing every traditional practice that are tied to those places.”
The military plans to drain fuel from the tanks by July 2024 to comply with a Hawaii Department of Health order to shut down the facility.
Honolulu’s water utility and the Sierra Club of Hawaii have expressed concerns about the threat Red Hill poses to Oahu’s water supply ever since 2014, when fuel leaked from one of the storage tanks. But the Navy reassured the public that their water was safe and that it was operating the storage facility properly.
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Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.
