SAN DIEGO, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- A San Diego family has sued Petco, charging their 10-year-old son died from rat bite fever contracted from a pet bought at the chain.
Aidan Pankey died at Rady Children's Hospital on June 11, 2013, U-T San Diego reported. That was just over two weeks after he and his grandmother purchased a rat at a Petco Animal Supplies Inc. store, the family said in a complaint filed Monday in San Diego.
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The San Diego County medical examiner ruled that Aidan died of streptobacillus monliformis, commonly known as rat bite fever, the family said.
"The rat that killed Aidan appeared safe, but was in fact defective and dangerous and defendants failed to adequately warn of such dangers," the lawsuit said.
