ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.–The number of E. coli cases connected to a St. Louis County banquet facility has now grown to 97, that is according to the county health department. There were illnesses tied to at least four events, including two connected to Rockwood Summit High School. One of the cases has now been tied to Oakville High School after a student became ill with E.coli following a band banquet earlier this month, according to school officials. 

What You Need To Know

  • Andre's owner, John Armengol Jr, says his business is innocent of the 90+ E. coli cases from four events including the Rockwood Summit 
  • St. Louis County Health Department took lettuce samples on Nov. 18 for testing
  • The St. Louis County of Department of Public Health (DPH) told Spectrum News "a few things raise a 'yellow flag' that something unusual might be going on" 

  • Armengol says his business has lost clients and reputation due to his business being named

John Armengol Jr., the owner of Andre's Catering and Banquets, told Spectrum News his heart goes out to those who’ve suffered from E. coli, but Andre’s is not responsible for the outbreak.

The St. Louis County of Department of Public Health (DPH) told Spectrum News "a few things raise a 'yellow flag' that something unusual might be going on." 

A DPH spokesperson says it usually recieves the bulk of the cases in the warmer months. Also, it recieved three positive cases in a single day, which was concerning since it saw eight cases between January and October of 2024. DPH officials also explained the median number of cases from 2018 through 2022 was four cases per year. 

"When DPH received reports of three positive cases in a single day, we began looking for possible connections. Through standard epidemiologic practices and interviews, plus additional lab testing, we have identified dozens of probable cases and about 20 people with postivie lab results. These cases are in students and parents of a particular school district, as well as several people unaffiliated with the orginal school events. We were only able to identify one common exposure throughout these different groups, eating food at an even held at or catered by Andre's."

DPH is looking further into the food histories of the cases hoping to identify a common ingredient to examine potential upstream sources of conatmination. 

"The fact that dozens of people who report specific clinically compatible symptoms all reported eating food at or prepared by Andre's and no other common link could be identified is a very clear epidemiologic signal," said a SPH official.

Armenhol says the news has taken a toll on his business in more ways than one.

“I just want to get through this. We’ve lost events over this,” said Armengol. “They have created doubt in our loyal customers and our reputation has been ruined by people putting out our name in associating us as a culprit in this event.” 

A relative of a Rockwood Summit student  filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County against the catering company petitioning for damages.

The lawsuit states in part, “individuals who tested positive for E. coli attended two separate events hosted at or catered through Andre’s Banquets and Catering in association with Rockwood Summit High School. Although current details are suggestive of salad being the source of illness, the DPH has not identified a specific ingredient, nor do they have information on the nature of timing of the contamination (i.e., farm vs. later).”

10 days after one of the Rockwood Summit events, Armengol says the St. Louis County Department of Public Health picked up lettuce from Andre’s Banquet and Catering to test for E. coli. He says results are expected Thursday or Friday.

DPH said it first received reports of illness on Nov. 13. On Nov. 15 the gathered data pointed toward the salad being the culprit. They contacted the state lab and the first day to possibly collect was Nov. 18, according to DPH.

Armengol believes the test on its lettuce will exonerate Andre’s. He says the business has operated for 44 years without this issue and over 1,000 lbs of salad went out that same week without incident. 

The health department says the test results may not clear Andre's as the source. 

"Negative results will not confirm the salad was not the source of the E. coli. There are often pockets of bacteria throughout a food product. It is possible the sampling event didn’t capture the pathogen," said the DPH representative. "Testing on the lettuce is an important part of the investigation, but we also need to focus on the people who reported specific exposures and clinically compatible symptoms – A negative result would not eliminate Andre’s as the potential source."

“I’m fighting for my reputation right now. If I’m wrong, I admit it. I’m not in this case, and I know 100% I’m not,” said Armengol. He said when the results come out, and if they’re in his favor, a press release will be issued by his lawyers. Then they’ll take the next “natural steps.”