The revelation of the FDA report came just weeks after a whistleblower described as a former employee of the Sturgis facility stepped forward to U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and alleged that Abbott falsified records, failed to maintain proper records and released untested baby formula. The whistleblower also alleged that Abbott hid information during a 2019 audit by the FDA and that products were unable to be properly traced. In response to allegations such as these, Abbott so far has issued lawyerly statements that deny a connection between the sickened infants and its company's formula, emphasize that its own inspection processes had detected cronobacter in formula that was subsequently pulled from distribution, and assert that it has been working to address the food safety violations the FDA flagged by upgrading the Sturgis plant.