California dairy regulators closed their investigation of an unlicensed Riverside County goat dairy without any penalty or criminal referral, even after two young girls whose families bought its raw milk developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E. coli infection. The findings come from a ProPublica investigation published Sept. 30 that drew on state records, emails, and text messages.
According to ProPublica, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) closed the case on Aug. 1, 2025. Investigators found that the farm's owner, Courtney Baker, 23, had promoted raw milk for sale and sold unapproved milk products without a CDFA license. She received no penalty, and the case was not referred to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
For parents in Murrieta, Temecula, Winchester, and other Inland Empire communities, and for anyone buying raw milk through social media groups, the case exposes a gap. ProPublica reports that California lets unlicensed farms sell raw milk labeled as pet food, with no license, inspection, or testing required, even when buyers are drinking it.
Two Children, One Farm, and an E. coli Strain
Brooklyn Marris was 17 months old when she began vomiting on June 2, 2025, at her family's home in Winchester. A stool sample confirmed E. coli O157:H7, a strain that produces a toxin that can damage the kidneys. At Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, she needed a tube to help her breathe and dialysis lines "to support her failing kidneys," ProPublica reported. She will need to see a kidney specialist every six months.
Victoria Galindo, 6, of Murrieta, drank milk from the same farm after her family picked up its first order that same day. She developed bloody diarrhea and was admitted to Rady on June 13, where she was diagnosed with the same disorder caused by the same strain and treated in intensive care.
"I'm going to hate myself to the day I die for having allowed that to happen," Brooklyn's mother, Emily Marris, told ProPublica.
The source of the infections has not been officially confirmed. The state's limited testing of a milk sample came back negative for several pathogens, including E. coli. Both families have sued Baker and her farm, Moonlight Ridge, in Riverside County Superior Court, alleging the milk was contaminated. Those claims have not been proven. "Everything is sold as pet milk," Baker told ProPublica. "What they choose to do with it is not my business."
A Pet Food Label That Stalled the Case
Records show CDFA moved quickly at first, then stopped short of punishment. On June 20, 2025, three regulators made an unannounced visit and gave Baker a cease-and-desist order and a violation notice. The next day, they met her at the gate and accepted a half-gallon jug of raw milk she said had been collected the previous night. Department officials told ProPublica that California law does not let investigators enter unlicensed properties. Results came back negative 11 days later.
Internal messages show staff doubted the pet food claim. "She clearly knew the milk was going to a child," regional supervisor Jill Soares wrote. But special investigator Nancy Del Cid concluded, "I was unable to show that she sold milk intended for human consumption." Possible penalties included fines of up to $10,000 and up to a year in jail. ProPublica reports that Baker moved out of California earlier this year and reopened her farm in Arizona.
CDFA spokesperson Devon Keeler defended the approach. "Issuing a cease-and-desist order almost always results in a product being removed from the market more rapidly than a criminal referral," Keeler told ProPublica. CDFA has not publicly said whether it will seek changes to the pet food pathway, which remains the key unanswered question for families.
Young Children Face the Highest Risk From Raw Milk
HUS "happens when red blood cells are destroyed and block the kidneys' filtering system," according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, which says children under 5 are particularly at risk. The California Department of Public Health says as many as 1 in 10 people diagnosed with this type of E. coli infection develop HUS, and young children face the highest risk. Most children recover, but some need dialysis or develop long-term kidney disease.
The CDC warns that "While good practices on farms can reduce contamination, they cannot guarantee safety from harmful germs." The concern is current. A separate CDC outbreak investigation of raw milk cheese has found 13 people sick in nine states, with three HUS cases. More than half of the patients are children 5 or younger.
Parents should call a doctor for diarrhea or vomiting that lasts more than two days, bloody diarrhea, a fever over 102°F, or signs of dehydration. The CDC lists HUS warning signs as little or no urine, loss of pink color in the cheeks and inside the lower eyelids, unexplained bruising, extreme tiredness or irritability, and reduced alertness. HUS is a medical emergency. The safest choice for young children, pregnant people, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system is pasteurized milk.
Key Questions Answered
What did ProPublica report? CDFA closed its case against an unlicensed Riverside County goat dairy with no penalty after two girls who drank its raw milk developed HUS.
Was the milk proven to be the cause? No. A state milk sample tested negative. The families' lawsuits allege contamination, but those claims have not been decided in court.
What is HUS? It is a serious complication of certain E. coli infections in which damaged red blood cells block the kidneys' filters and can cause kidney failure.
Why was there no penalty? An investigator wrote that the state could not prove the milk was sold for human consumption, since it was labeled as pet food.
Who is most at risk from raw milk? Young children, older adults, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems.
What should parents watch for? Bloody diarrhea, reduced urination, pale skin, unusual bruising, or extreme tiredness after a stomach illness need prompt medical care.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
