Brookshire Farms’ owner speaks out after mysterious E. coli outbreak

Key Points:

• Brookshire Farms in San Luis Obispo County reopened on Nov. 6 after a 10-day voluntary closure amid an E. coli O157 outbreak that sickened over 15 people, including a 6-year-old boy in critical condition.
• Five individuals had lab-confirmed infections linked to farm visits on Oct. 17 or 18, with an additional 10 showing matching symptoms from visits between Oct. 16 and 26; three children developed severe Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS).
• Camden Foy, the 6-year-old patient, experienced critical complications including neurological issues and multiple transfusions, with his family providing ongoing health updates since late October.
• County health officials collected environmental samples but did not detect E. coli O157, only other bacterial strains, noting that pinpointing the exact source is difficult due to the transient nature of contamination.
• Farm owner Shawn Callaway emphasized the farm’s cleanliness and disputed pumpkins as the outbreak source, while county officials clarified they did not intend to suggest pumpkins were responsible, urging the public not to fear them.