Suit alleges the Fair invited children to touch livestock without adequate hand-washing stations, warnings, or supervision.
PHOENIX, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- National food safety and E. coli law firm Ron Simon & Associates, together with Phoenix-based Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., have filed suit in the Superior Court of Arizona in and for Maricopa County on behalf of a six-year-old boy who developed life-threatening kidney failure after visiting the petting zoo at the 2025 Arizona State Fair.
The complaint names the State of Arizona and the Arizona State Fair as defendants. It was brought on behalf of J.L., a minor, by and through his mother and father, Elizabeth and Christian.
PHOENIX, Ariz. — [August 4, 2026] — National food safety and E. coli law firm Ron Simon & Associates, together with Phoenix-based Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., have filed suit in the Superior Court of Arizona in and for Maricopa County on behalf of a six-year-old boy who developed life-threatening kidney failure after visiting the petting zoo at the 2025 Arizona State Fair.
Within three days of visiting the petting zoo, J.L. developed bloody diarrhea, fever, and excruciating abdominal pain. He was taken to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where a November 1, 2025 stool specimen tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). By November 4, he had been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and Stage 3 acute kidney injury.
The Arizona public health authorities designated the Arizona State Fair outbreak as a cluster of sixteen cases identified in November and December of 2025. Health officials confirmed that genetic sequencing identified J.L.'s E. coli isolate as a genetic match to the outbreak strain. Investigators with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and the Arizona Department of Health Services identified the Arizona State Fair petting zoo as the likely source of exposure.
"The risk that livestock carry E. coli O157:H7 has been known to the agricultural and public health communities for decades, and the precautions are neither expensive nor complicated — soap, water, signage, and someone making sure children actually wash their hands before they eat," said Ron Simon of Ron Simon & Associates. "A six-year-old spent three weeks in the hospital on dialysis. This was preventable."
A petting zoo visit, then three weeks in the hospital
According to the complaint, J.L. and his mother visited the Arizona State Fairgrounds at 1826 West McDowell Road in Phoenix on October 26, 2025 — the final day of the fair — where they spent significant time in the petting zoo area, handling pot-bellied pigs and goats. The suit alleges that no readily available hand-washing stations were provided in the petting area; only hand sanitizer, which the family used.
Within three days, J.L. developed bloody diarrhea, fever, and excruciating abdominal pain. He was taken to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where a November 1, 2025 stool specimen tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). By November 4, he had been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and Stage 3 acute kidney injury — the most severe classification of kidney failure — and required dialysis, a central line, and admission to the pediatric intensive care unit. He was hospitalized for 21 days.
The complaint alleges that J.L.'s long-term prognosis remains uncertain and that he faces a significant risk of future kidney failure and potential transplant as he grows. Medical expenses to date total more than $453,000, with anticipated lifetime medical costs that the complaint estimates could reach $3 million or more.
Laboratory testing links 16 cases to the outbreak
The Arizona public health authorities designated the Arizona State Fair outbreak as a cluster of sixteen cases identified in November and December of 2025. Health officials confirmed that genetic sequencing identified J.L.'s E. coli isolate as a genetic match to the outbreak strain. Investigators with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and the Arizona Department of Health Services identified the Arizona State Fair petting zoo as the likely source of exposure.
The allegations
The suit asserts claims for negligence, strict liability, breach of implied warranty, negligent hiring, training and supervision, and respondeat superior. Among the specific allegations, the complaint contends that the Fair:
Encouraged patrons — especially children — to touch livestock without adequate warnings, instruction, or supervision;
Failed to provide sufficient hand-washing stations with soap and water at entrances, exits, and transition areas, including stations sized for young children;
Failed to warn that livestock, and pigs in particular, are well-recognized carriers of E. coli O157:H7, and that children face heightened risk of severe illness; and
Failed to adequately clean and disinfect enclosures, gates, fencing, and other high-contact surfaces.
Plaintiffs have demanded a jury trial.
Broader response in Arizona
The filing comes as Arizona institutions reconsider public animal contact. The Maricopa County Fair announced in April 2026 that it would proceed without a petting zoo or pony rides, citing public concern following the 2025 outbreak. Separately, Senate Bill 1082 — legislation that would require hand-washing stations, warning signage, and stricter sanitation protocols at petting zoos — is moving through the Arizona Legislature.
Quote from counsel
"The risk that livestock carry E. coli O157:H7 has been known to the agricultural and public health communities for decades, and the precautions are neither expensive nor complicated — soap, water, signage, and someone making sure children actually wash their hands before they eat," said Ron Simon of Ron Simon & Associates. "A six-year-old spent three weeks in the hospital on dialysis. This was preventable."
National food safety and E. coli lawyer Ron Simon Establish a 2025 Arizona State Fair Petting Zoo Claim Center
Mr. Simon and his law firm have established a 2025 Arizona State Fair Petting Zoo Claim Center to assist victims in the outbreak. The E. Coli Claim Center can be reached toll-free at 1-888-335-4901 or by going to the firm's Website, at https://www.ronsimonassociates.com/.
About National Food Safety and E. Coli law Attorney Ron Simon
Over the last 33 years, Ron Simon and his colleagues have prosecuted thousands of food poisoning and animal exposure cases for victims across the United States. His work has resulted in numerous upgrades to safety procedures in Fortune 500 companies and in legislation designed to protect consumers from dangerous food-borne pathogens.
Mr. Simon and his clients have been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and virtually all other major television networks and print media. Mr. Simon and his legal team have collected over $850,000,000 for their clients. His firm regularly publishes articles about food safety, E. coli poisoning, and litigation at www.foodpoisoningnews.com which are read by viewers in over 180 countries.
Through litigation, media commentary, and his food poisoning publications, Mr. Simon relentlessly challenges food manufacturers, distributors, and restaurants to do a better job in making our food safe.
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