An Indiana family is demanding accountability from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after their 9-year-old son, Colton George, nearly died from a severe E. coli infection that caused his kidneys to fail.
Colton, a healthy and active child, first showed symptoms on November 17, when he developed a severe stomachache. The next day, his condition deteriorated rapidly, landing him in the intensive care unit at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
Initially misdiagnosed with colitis, Colton was later found to have Shiga toxin-producing E. coli hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening condition that had led to kidney failure. Over the course of his 18-day hospital stay, 11 of which required round-the-clock dialysis, Colton fought for his life while his family endured the anguish of watching him hooked to a ventilator.
Colton’s parents, including his father George, a Wayne Township firefighter, have since been searching for answers about what caused their son’s illness. Using genome sequencing data obtained from the Indiana Department of Health, the family discovered a connection between Colton’s case and an E. coli outbreak that sickened 88 people across 12 states in 2024. The FDA later linked this outbreak to a specific kind of romaine lettuce, though it has not definitively confirmed this as the source of Colton’s illness.
Despite months of attempts to get information, the FDA has refused to disclose the supplier of the lettuce tied to the outbreak. George expressed deep frustration over the agency’s lack of transparency, saying, “The first two or three days, we didn’t know if my son was going to survive. To not get an answer from the FDA… it makes you upset. You should be able to call somebody that’s working for you as the federal government and get answers.”
The family’s attorney argues that the FDA likely knows the identity of the supplier and insists the public has a right to that information. The Georges continue to push for transparency, hoping their ordeal can shed light on systemic food safety issues and prevent future tragedies.
