Obituaries

W.C. Woman in '90s Acetaminophen Poisoning Case Dies at 25

The 25-year-old West Chester woman's family sued drug company after they say she was poisoned 20 years ago.


Funeral services are planned Saturday afternoon for Crystal Rose Orr, 25, of West Chester. She died Thursday, June 13, 2013 at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Orr was 5 years old when, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times, she was poisoned by an accidental overdose of Acetaminophen which is the main ingredient in Tylenol.

The 5-year-old was ill with a 102 degree fever for several days, according to the 1994 L.A. Times, when her parents gave her an accidental overdose of adult Tylenol.

"Troy and Sandy Orr gave her half the adult dose, 500 milligram, about every four hours for a period of about two days," Bob Scott, the Orrs' attorney told the L.A. Times.

The Orrs sued the makers of Tylenol for clearer warning labels on the over-the-counter medication, according to the report.
"It was the middle of the night and the child was in great discomfort (from strep throat)," Scott told the L.A. Times. "They were trying to figure out what to give her to get her to the morning. The bottle they looked at had no dosage levels for children under 12. But because they were familiar with Tylenol and comfortable with it, they saw no reason to believe there was a great risk in it. They gave her half the adult dose." A company spokesman was quoted in 1994 as saying "As for Extra-Strength Tylenol, the labeling states the product is for adults and children 12 years and older."

As a child, Orr suffered from serious medical problems in addition to needing a liver transplant, according to a 1998 article in Forbes Magazine.

Crystal Orr is survived by her parents, a brother, paternal grandparents, and her maternal grandmother, according to an obituary on the Founds Funeral Home website.

A funeral service is planned for 4 p.m. on Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1443 Telegraph Rd., West Chester, where a viewing will start at 2 p.m. Burial will be private.






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