Milwaukee, Wisconsin — A 3-month-old baby was taken to the hospital after becoming sick from what the family says was flour found inside a container they believed contained infant formula purchased at a local gas station.
The baby’s mother, Tene Fowlkes, said the family was in a rush to find formula when her partner went to a nearby gas station because other stores were closed.
“Nothing was open. I knew the store around the corner sold milk,” Fowlkes said. But when the family prepared the product for the baby, they did not realize immediately that something was wrong.
Mother Notices Something Was Wrong With the Bottle
The next morning, Fowlkes said her baby remained fussy. When she looked more closely at the bottle, she noticed that the contents did not appear normal.
“I looked at it, and it was like – sluggish, off – it was foggy,” Fowlkes said.
According to Fowlkes, the substance inside the container appeared to be flour rather than infant formula. The discovery prompted an immediate panic as the family became concerned about what the baby had consumed.
“It was in the moment, she was hungry,” Fowlkes said.
The family rushed the infant to the hospital over concerns about possible poisoning.
Baby Suffered Constipation but Is Now Okay
Fowlkes said the baby experienced constipation after consuming the substance, but the child is now doing okay.
The family returned the container to the gas station after discovering the problem. However, exactly how flour allegedly ended up inside a container that was believed to contain infant formula remains unclear.
Fowlkes also acknowledged that the family did not know whether the container had been properly sealed when it was purchased.
That uncertainty has left the family urging other parents to take a few extra seconds to inspect formula containers before giving them to their children.
“It only takes a couple seconds to make sure the seal is on there. And if not, take it back even if the baby is upset,” Fowlkes said.
Gas Station Owner Says Investigation Is Underway
The owner said the state is investigating the situation. He also said that, as a vendor, he reported the matter to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
Because the investigation is ongoing, the owner said he could not comment further.
The circumstances surrounding the product remain under investigation, including how the family ended up with what it believed was infant formula but later identified as flour.
Family Sends Sample to FDA
The family is now waiting for additional answers. Fowlkes said they sent a sample of the suspected faulty product to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are waiting for the results.
Those results could help determine exactly what was inside the container and potentially provide more information about how the incident occurred.
For the family, the situation also highlights the financial pressure many parents face when trying to keep infant formula on hand.
“Formula is expensive, times are hard,” Fowlkes said.
The family said the incident was frightening, particularly because the product was intended for a very young baby who depended on formula for feeding.
Parents Urged to Check Formula Before Use
While the investigation continues, Fowlkes is encouraging other parents and caregivers to check formula containers carefully before preparing a bottle, particularly when purchasing formula from a location outside a traditional grocery or pharmacy setting.
Parents can look for signs that packaging has been opened, damaged or tampered with before giving the product to an infant.
In this case, the family said they did not initially know whether the container’s seal was intact. The FDA’s testing could provide additional answers as the investigation moves forward.
For now, the baby is recovering, while the family waits to learn how the product ended up containing flour and whether anyone else could have been exposed to the same issue.
Have you ever noticed something unusual with a baby product after purchasing it? Share your experience in the comments and let us know what steps you take to check infant products before using them.
