JACK IN THE BOX SETTLES SUIT OVER E. COLI INFECTION

SAN DIEGO -- Foodmaker Inc., the parent company of Jack in the Box restaurants, has reached a $15 million settlement with the family of a 12-year-old who fell into a coma following the consumption at a Jack in the Box of food contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The child's coma lasted for several weeks but did not result in death. The E. coli outbreak that occurred in January 1993 did result in three consumer deaths. Foodmaker previously reached settlements with the parents of the three infected children who died, according to Shirley Gines, director of corporate communications at Foodmaker.