Suit claims Trinity International University responsible for death of Lake Villa teen

The family of an 18-year-old Lake Villa man filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Trinity International University, claiming mislabeled food at the Deerfield school gave him a fatal allergic reaction in August.

On just his third day of his freshman year, Avery Gilbert collapsed after eating a meal the family's lawsuit says was supposed to have been allergen-free.

Matthew Sims, one of the family's lawyers, said anyone who has a food allergy should be able to safely rely on professionals who label their menu as allergen-free, not die because a menu was wrong.

The allergic reaction to fish proteins was so severe it cut off Avery's airway within minutes and caused his heart to stop, according to the lawsuit, filed last week.

Gilbert graduated from Grayslake North High School last spring.