PICTURED: Baby girl aged eight months left brain-damaged by INFANT FORMULA infected with germ that gave her meningitis

An eight-month-old baby has been left brain damaged after contracting meningitis from a bacteria found in her baby formula. 

Baby Mira White from Sikeston, Missouri was tragically infected by cronobacter sakazakii, an invasive bacteria that sparked a recall of certain powdered baby formula in 2022. 

Mira, and another baby from Kentucky, who tragically died in November as a result of the infection, both consumed powdered infant formula made by Abbott Nutrition, the company at the center of last year's crisis.

Prematurely-born Mira White was diagnosed in early March, just six weeks old, with a brain infection caused by the bacteria found in her formula. 

The cronobacter sakazakii bacteria was detected in an open container of Similac NeoSure formula in her home.

Mira's mother, Asian Davis, is now suing Abbott claiming the company sold her a defective product and that it should have warned parents of premature babies that powdered formula can cause serious disease.

However, Abbott has denied that the bacteria originated in the product. 

Investigations found the bacteria was not discovered in unopened cans of Similac NeoSure formula from Mira's home. 

The bacteria are found naturally in the environment and can make their way into infant formula after the packaging is opened. 

FDA investigators also said they 'did not identify a causal link' between Mira's infection and the Casa Grande, Arizona, factory that made the formula marketed for premature babies.

Abbott officials said they found no cronobacter in batches of formula at the plant. 

FDA officials said there was no evidence that the two infants infections were linked to manufacturing and saw no reason to issue new recalls.

'There is no indication of a broader public health concern related to this product at this time,' the FDA said in a statement.

In March, within days of feeding Mira the formula, Asian Davis, 33, noticed a difference in her daughter. 

'She stopped eating and sucking,' Davis, who has four older children, told Fox 4.

'That mother instinct came in and I said, 'Something's wrong with my baby.'

After multiple different tests, doctors diagnosed Mira with bacterial meningitis caused by cronobacter sakazakii found in her spinal fluid and blood. 

Brain scans showed neurological damage and missing tissue caused by the infection. 

Mira has suffered nearly constant seizures and inconsolable bouts of crying since falling ill. 

'It affected her brain real bad,' Davis said. 'She'll grow, but it will be a slow progress.'  

Davis said she is suing to raise awareness about the dangers of the rare bacteria — and to provide financially for Mira's future care.

'She will need surgeries, she might need a wheelchair,' Davis said. 'She might need that stuff for the rest of her life' she explained. 

In Kentucky, the FDA said it 'has not found evidence' of contamination after a November 21 inspection at an Abbott plant. 

However former FDA official Frank Yiannas tolf Fox 4 a negative test does not guarantee there is no contamination. 

'A positive test result means a lot. A negative test result doesn't mean anything,' he explained.

Last year federal investigators shut down an Abbot formula plant in Sturgis, Michigan after four infants were infected with the bacteria, two of whom died. 

Inspectors found widespread contamination in the plant.