A Portland, Oregon, boy is struggling to recover from infant botulism after drinking contaminated ByHeart baby formula donated through a program that aims to help poor and homeless families.
Ashaan Carter, now 10 months old, was hospitalized twice and remains on a feeding tube after contracting the dangerous infection that has sickened more than 50 babies across the U.S.
His mother, Angel Carter, said she received a can of ByHeart formula from a case worker with the Oregon Department of Human Services in early November, days before a nationwide recall of the product.
Carter, who receives state food and housing assistance, said she had been exclusively breastfeeding her son, but her milk supply was waning. The case worker told the 27-year-old that the ByHeart formula “was closest to breast milk” and could help, she said.