Death of 13-year-old inspiring state laws about Epi-Pens

Posted on August 1, 2018
Following a death of a 13-year-old girl from Elmhurst, shes still changing state laws about the use of Epi-Pens. (Jared Jodon/Facebook)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Three years after the death of a 13-year-old girl from Elmhurst, she’s still inspiring state laws about the use of Epi-Pens.

At a bill-signing Tuesday, Cathryn Hansen described the wholesome fun of an end-of-summer slumber party in 2015.

“Little did we know that the sleepover would change our lives forever,” she said. “Little did we know what would happen to Annie that night. Midnight was approaching, and all of us were wide awake. We were dancing, playing card games, jamming to music, and just overall having the time of our lives.”

Hansen said Annie LeGere slipped into a bathroom to call her mom to come get her because she was not feeling well. She soon went unconscious and died a week later from a reaction to a food allergy that, apparently, nobody knew she had.

Now, first responders have Epi Pens available, and Gov Rauner has signed a law expanding the protection from liability for professionals who use the anti-allergen devices.

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