BOSTON (AP) - Lawsuits against two meat companies claim a
Massachusetts girl and a Rhode Island boy were sickened by ground beef contaminated by E. coli bacteria.

The lawsuits filed Tuesday in Plymouth Superior Court say the
children were hospitalized but are now recovering.

A lawsuit against Brockton-based South Shore Meats says
11-year-old Austin Richmond of Lincoln, R.I., became ill Oct. 17
after he ate a hamburger at a Massachusetts youth camp.

The second lawsuit, against Ashville, N.Y-based Fairbank Farms,
claims 12-year-old Andrea Munro of Marshfield became ill Sept. 28 after eating meat from that company.

Each company has recently recalled meat health officials linked
to separate E. coli outbreaks.

A spokeswoman for Fairbank Farms declined comment Tuesday. South Shore Meats did not immediately return phone messages.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)