Parent discovers moldy bread in school lunch for daughter with Rett Syndrome in Hadsel, Norway

Kiwa Edvardsen took to Facebook to express his discontent after discovering moldy bread in the lunch prepared for his daughter Linnea, who has Rett Syndrome—a severe developmental disorder affecting only girls. The municipality provides respite care to Edvardsen’s family once a week and every other weekend, which includes preparing lunches for Linnea to take to school.

Edvardsen indicated that complaints regarding the quality of the lunches have been raised before, citing dry bread and unappetizing items that Linnea wouldn’t eat. “Beyond that, it’s a good service, I want to stress,” he noted. However, the discovery of moldy bread led to his frustration boiling over.

The incident was brought to light by staff at Linnea’s school, who opted not to serve the moldy food and provided her with an alternative. Edvardsen expressed anger and disappointment, stating, “Clearly, someone isn’t doing their job.” He recounted a conversation with the head of the unit, which left him in tears, emphasizing that his daughter deserves better care.

Kjell-Børge Freiberg, the mayor of Hadsel municipality, acknowledged the situation as unacceptable, apologizing on behalf of the community. Freiberg affirmed, “It is ultimately my responsibility as mayor,” and he committed to ensuring such an incident does not happen again. Edvardsen expressed hope that an upcoming meeting with municipal leaders would lead to constructive solutions for improving the lunch service for his daughter.