--- title: Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Child Hospitalized with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in the Kebab Shop E.coli Outbreak date: 2026-05-29T12:39:00-07:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/lawsuit-filed-on-behalf-of-child-hospitalized-with-hemolytic-uremic-syndrome-in-the-kebab-shop-e-coli-outbreak" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Press Releases](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/press-releases) / # Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Child Hospitalized with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in the Kebab Shop E.coli Outbreak **Marler Clark and Quirk Law Firm Sue The Kebab Shop and Olympia Foods Following California E. Coli O157:H7 Outbreak Linked to Contaminated Beef Kofta** LOS ANGELES, CA — On May 29, 2026, attorneys William D. Marler of Marler Clark, Inc., PS (Seattle, Washington) and Trevor Quirk of Quirk Law Firm LLP (Ventura, California) filed a personal injury lawsuit in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles, on behalf of Samantha Sabaite and her minor child, J.A.K., arising from a confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infection that left J.A.K. hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). ***See Complaint attached below.*** The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and local health departments are investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 linked to beef kofta — seasoned ground beef kebabs — served at The Kebab Shop. As of May 19, 2026, nine California residents have been infected with the outbreak strain. Six of the victims are children. Five individuals have been hospitalized. Two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening condition that can cause kidney failure. Illness onset dates range from March 27 through April 30, 2026. On May 22, 2026, CDPH issued Public Health Notice NR26-022 advising consumers of possible exposure. On May 24, 2026, FSIS issued a public health alert after raw ground beef kofta samples collected from The Kebab Shop tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. The Kebab Shop had already voluntarily removed beef kofta from its menu at all locations on May 18, 2026. The contaminated beef kofta was produced by Olympia Foods on January 6, 2026, and distributed to Kebab Shop locations across California, Texas, and Florida. **The Plaintiff** J.A.K. consumed beef kofta at The Kebab Shop location at 2921 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, California on or about April 1, 2026. Two days later, he began suffering symptoms consistent with E. coli O157:H7 infection, including extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. On April 6, his mother rushed him to the emergency room. J.A.K. was admitted to UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, where a stool sample returned positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. By April 8, his condition had deteriorated to the point that he was transferred to the intensive care unit at UCLA Westwood Hospital, where he was diagnosed with HUS. He required dialysis and blood transfusions. During his hospitalization, J.A.K. suffered from seizures and decreased pancreatic function. Whole genome sequencing links his illness to the outbreak strain associated with The Kebab Shop beef kofta. **Legal Claims** The complaint asserts four causes of action against The Kebab Shop and Olympia Foods: Strict Product Liability; Breach of Implied Warranty; Negligence; and Negligence Per Se. The complaint alleges that the defendants failed to manufacture, supply, and serve food that was safe for human consumption, and violated applicable federal statutes including the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as USDA/FSIS performance standards governing ground beef. Statement of William D. Marler, Esq. "I have been litigating E. coli cases for thirty-three years. I started in 1993 with the Jack in the Box outbreak — an event that killed four children, sent dozens into kidney failure, and changed American food safety law. After that disaster, the industry and government actually listened. Testing improved. Interventions multiplied. By 2019, E. coli in ground beef had virtually disappeared from my practice." "That's why what's happening now is so alarming. We are seeing a resurgence. Ground beef outbreaks that were essentially nonexistent for nearly two decades are back. And the victims — as always — are disproportionately children. J.A.K. ate a kebab at a restaurant. He ended up in an ICU on dialysis with seizures. That is not acceptable in 2026." "E. coli O157:H7 has been a legally recognized adulterant in ground beef since 1994. That means contaminated beef is not food — it is a defective product. Cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the pathogen. Restaurants serving ground beef in any form have an absolute obligation to cook it thoroughly. There is no acceptable excuse for serving undercooked ground beef to customers, and certainly not to children." "Marler Clark has represented victims in virtually every significant E. coli outbreak linked to ground beef over the past three decades — from Jack in the Box to ConAgra to Cargill/Stephanie Smith to the 2024 Montana Wagyu outbreak. We will hold The Kebab Shop and Olympia Foods fully accountable for what happened to J.A.K. and his family." **Background: E. Coli O157:H7 and Ground Beef** E. coli O157:H7 lives in the intestines of cattle and is a well-known contaminant of ground beef. It is notable for its extremely low infectious dose — fewer than 50 bacteria can cause a severe illness. The pathogen produces Shiga toxins that damage the lining of the intestine, causing bloody diarrhea and debilitating abdominal cramps. Approximately 10 percent of infected individuals — most of them young children — develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition characterized by the destruction of red blood cells, destruction of platelets, and acute kidney failure. HUS carries a mortality rate of approximately 5 percent even in top American medical facilities. Survivors can suffer permanent kidney damage, neurological injury, and other long-term complications. Cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) kills E. coli O157:H7. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service declared E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant in raw ground beef in 1994, following the Jack in the Box outbreak that sickened more than 700 people and killed four children across four states. The 1993 Jack in the Box outbreak launched Bill Marler's career as a food safety attorney. Over the subsequent three decades, Marler Clark has represented victims of E. coli contamination in ground beef from manufacturers and distributors including ConAgra Beef (2002), Cargill Meat Solutions and Sam's Club (2007), Topps Meat Company (2007), National Beef (2009), JBS USA (2012), and the Montana Wagyu Beef outbreak (2024-25). Marler Clark has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for victims while using litigation as a lever for industry and regulatory reform. **About Marler Clark** Marler Clark, Inc., PS is a Seattle-based law firm focused exclusively on representing victims of foodborne illness. The firm has litigated cases arising from virtually every major E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and other food safety outbreak in the United States over the past thirty years. William D. Marler is widely recognized as the nation's leading food safety attorney. More information is available at www.marlerclark.com. **About Quirk Law Firm LLP** Quirk Law Firm LLP is a Ventura, California personal injury law firm. Trevor Quirk, Esq. (SBN 241626) is serving as local counsel in this matter. The firm can be reached at (805) 620-7645 or tmq@qlflaw.com. 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