Gerald Williams and David Cedar, partners in Williams Cedar LLP, announced today that they have filed a lawsuit against Unilever United States, Inc. and others on behalf of Ashley Sites and Gabriel Yibale, who are seeking damages for the death of Elliana Yibale, the plaintiffs’ five-year-old daughter.
The lawsuit alleges that Elliana, who was born with congenital abnormalities and was immunocompromised, died due to exposure to dangerous bacteria that was found in a line of fabric treatments and home cleaning products under the product name “The Laundress.” These products were sold by the company of the same name from 2004 to 2019, when Unilever bought the company. Unilever continued to market The Laundress brand name until November 2022, when elevated levels of bacteria were found in these products, causing Unilever to recall the entire product line.
Mr. Williams said the product labels had misled the plaintiffs because the products claimed to be “non-toxic,” “just for baby” and “perfect for baby clothes.” “Relying on these premises, Ashley and Gabriel believed they were protecting their child by using ‘The Laundress’ products when, in reality, they were unwittingly jeopardizing her health,” he said. “The contamination of these profitable materials is yet another example of what happens when an insufficiently regulated industry fails to maintain the standards they claim to uphold.
He continued, “While our clients know this lawsuit will not bring their child back, they hope it will help make these defendants accountable for their conduct and encourage other manufacturers to comply with basic safety measures.”
Williams Cedar represents individuals and communities who have been exposed to toxic chemicals and whose water, soil, air or work environment has become polluted by harmful chemicals. They also represent clients in personal injury lawsuits such as toxic torts, in which a client claims they have been harmed by exposure to a hazardous substance. Occupational toxic torts are more common because the worker has suffered long-term exposure to harmful chemicals on the job site. In addition, the firm has successfully represented our veterans with their disability claims and Agent Orange claims.