Target Nara Organics Lawsuit, Was Your Baby Affected? — Nam v. Nara Organics Inc., No. 3:26-cv-05825

If your baby was fed Nara Organics infant formula bought at Target and later showed poor feeding, a weak cry, or floppy muscle tone — you weren’t imagining it. A Washington family is now suing Nara Organics and Target after their son was hospitalized with infant botulism, and federal health officials have confirmed the formula’s link to a multistate outbreak. Here’s what the lawsuit says and what to do if your child was affected.

Target Nara Organics Formula Lawsuit — Key Facts

Item	Detail
Lawsuit Filed	July 23, 2026
Defendant	Target Corporation and Nara Organics, Inc.
Who Qualifies	Families whose infants consumed recalled Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula, sold at Target and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026, and later showed signs of infant botulism
Alleged Harm	Infant hospitalized with botulism after being fed formula contaminated with Clostridium botulinum
Law Alleged	Washington Product Liability Act (RCW 7.72)
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, Tacoma Division — No. 3:26-cv-05825
Current Stage	Complaint filed; this is an individual product liability suit, not a certified class action
Lead Plaintiff Deadline	N/A — not a securities case
Settlement Status	No settlement. This is litigation, not a claims process.
Last Updated	August 6, 2026

Who Is Target and Why Are They Being Sued Over This Formula?

Target sold Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula in its stores and on Target.com nationwide from July 2025 through June 2026, alongside Nara’s own direct-to-consumer sales on Nara.com. As the retailer that put the product in front of parents, Target is named not for making the formula, but for allegedly knowing the risk whole-milk powder carries and selling it anyway. The lawsuit treats Target as a “product seller” under Washington law — a distinct legal role from Nara Organics, the manufacturer.

What Happened to the Nam Family’s Son?

Plaintiffs Jin Nam and Jisun Lee, of Lacey, Washington, say their son I.N. was born March 1, 2026, a healthy baby fed Nara formula as his only source of nutrition. His parents ordered six cans directly from Nara’s website in mid-May and bought two more from a Target store nearby. On or about May 24, he started refusing feedings and grew lethargic, with poor muscle tone and weak head control — early signs of infant botulism.

His parents first sought care on June 1, but providers initially attributed the symptoms to reflux. As his weight kept dropping, he was eventually admitted to a Tacoma-area children’s hospital on June 5 and diagnosed that night. He received the botulism antitoxin the next day and was discharged June 16 — still needing a feeding tube. Lab testing of an opened can of the family’s formula confirmed C. botulinum, tying the illness directly to the product. “Nobody gets to say they didn’t see it coming,” attorney Bill Marler said of the industry’s prior warnings.

Federal regulators had reason to be watching. The FDA issued a 2023 warning naming whole milk powder as a botulism risk, and a nearly identical outbreak tied to ByHeart formula sickened 48 infants across 17 states in 2025 — using the same two ingredient suppliers now implicated in the Nara recall. That history is central to the claim that Target, a sophisticated national retailer, should have known better.

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Could You Have a Claim Against Nara Organics or Target?

Here’s exactly how to know if your family might be affected.

• Parents whose infants consumed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula bought at Target, Target.com, or Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026
• Families whose babies showed constipation, poor feeding, a weak cry, or loss of head control after using the formula
• Households contacted by health officials as part of the CDC and FDA outbreak investigation
• Anyone who still has an opened or unopened can of the recalled formula, since lab testing on it can confirm exposure

This isn’t automatic for every can sold. Formula purchased outside the July 2025–June 2026 window, or symptoms a doctor has ruled out as unrelated to C. botulinum, fall outside what this outbreak covers.

Families Outside Washington — Are You Still Covered?

The Washington Product Liability Act only applies to claims filed in Washington. A Pennsylvania family already filed a separate suit over this same outbreak in federal court there, under their own state’s law — proof that families elsewhere aren’t limited to this case or this court.

Not sure if you have a claim over the Nara Organics formula outbreak? A free consultation with a product liability attorney can help you understand your options.

What Is the Nam Family Asking the Court to Award?

No class fund and no claim form here — this is an individual lawsuit, not a class action. The Nams are seeking damages for their son’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and the cost of ongoing monitoring and future care his recovery may require.

What Could Other Affected Families Recover?

Impossible to predict from here. It depends on the severity of each child’s illness, the medical evidence tying it to the recalled formula, and whether Target and Nara Organics settle or fight the claims in court. The 2025 ByHeart outbreak shows these cases can take time to resolve.

What Should Affected Families Do Right Now?

1. Seek medical care immediately if your baby shows any sign of infant botulism — don’t wait on lab results, since treatment is based on symptoms alone.
2. Stop feeding the recalled formula right away, but don’t throw away the can. Photograph the lot number and keep it for testing.
3. Save every record: purchase receipts, medical visits, and any correspondence with Target, Nara, or your doctor.
4. Report the illness through the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal and to your state health department.
5. If a doctor advises it, the California Department of Public Health’s Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program is available for case consultation at 510-231-7600.
6. Talk to a product liability attorney about an individual claim — there’s no group claim form to fill out here.

Target Nara Organics Formula Lawsuit — Full Timeline

Milestone	Date
Recalled formula distributed via Target and Nara.com	July 2025 – June 2026
Outbreak infants’ illness onset window	April – May 2026
I.N.’s symptoms began	May 24, 2026
FDA contacted Nara Organics about the outbreak	June 12, 2026
Nara Organics recalled all formula	June 13, 2026
Related family lawsuit filed (Pennsylvania)	June 22, 2026
Nam family’s lawsuit filed (Washington)	July 23, 2026
Next scheduled hearing	UNVERIFIED — no hearing date on the docket as of August 6, 2026
Expected resolution	UNVERIFIED — no scheduling order public yet

Target Nara Organics Formula — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 3:26-cv-05825

Is there a lawsuit against Target and Nara Organics for the infant botulism outbreak right now?

 Yes. Jin Nam and Jisun Lee sued Nara Organics, Inc. and Target Corporation on July 23, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, No. 3:26-cv-05825, over their son’s hospitalization.

Do I need to do anything right now to join the Nara Organics formula lawsuit?

 No, and there’s nothing to join yet — this is an individual family’s suit, not a class action. If your baby was affected, save your records and talk to an attorney about your own claim.

When will the Target Nara Organics lawsuit resolve?

 There’s no timeline yet. The complaint was filed July 23, 2026, and no hearing date has been set as of August 6, 2026.

Can I file my own lawsuit against Target and Nara Organics instead?

 Yes. A Pennsylvania family already did exactly that in a separate case. Each affected family’s claim is evaluated on its own facts and its own state’s law.

How will I find out about developments in the Nara Organics case?

 Watch the Western District of Washington docket for case No. 3:26-cv-05825, and check the FDA and CDC outbreak pages, which are updated as the investigation continues.

What does “lead plaintiff” mean here, and why does the deadline matter?

 It doesn’t apply. Lead plaintiff deadlines come from securities class actions, and this is a product liability suit brought by one family on their own child’s behalf.

What specific laws does Target allegedly violate?

 The complaint invokes the Washington Product Liability Act (RCW 7.72), alleging Target knew or should have known that whole-milk powder formula could carry C. botulinum and sold it anyway.

How much could affected families receive if they file a claim?

 No dollar figure has been set for anyone. Any recovery would depend on the individual child’s medical damages and the evidence connecting the illness to the recalled formula.

Sources Used in This Target Nara Organics Article

• Official Law Firm Press Release — Marler Clark, “Washington Family Sues Nara Organics and Target After Their Infant Was Hospitalized with Botulism from Recalled Organic Formula,” July 25, 2026: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/washington-family-sues-nara-organics-and-target-after-their-infant-was-hospitalized-with-botulism-from-recalled-organic-formula-302834512.html
• FDA — “Outbreak Investigation of Infant Botulism: Powdered Infant Formula (June 2026)”: https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-infant-botulism-powdered-infant-formula-june-2026
• CDC — “Infant Botulism Outbreak Linked to Powdered Infant Formula, June 2026”: https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/outbreaks-investigations/infant-formula-june-2026/index.html
• Washington State Department of Health — “2026 Multistate Infant Botulism Outbreak Linked to Nara Organics Infant Formula”: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/foodborne-illness/outbreaks/2026-multistate-infant-botulism-outbreak-linked-nara-organics-infant-formula
• FDA — “Post-Outbreak Response Activities: Clostridium botulinum Illnesses Associated with Consumption of Powdered Infant Formula”: https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-clostridium-botulinum-illnesses-associated-consumption-powdered

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the Marler Clark press release, the FDA and CDC outbreak pages, and the Washington State Department of Health on August 6, 2026. Last Updated: August 6, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.