How sad, I hope the rest of her flock was okay.
I've heard similar stories and seen a few debates arise around it.
While there was never any clear conclusion or provable data, seeing what people had to say I wondered... They are very common and undoubtedly like teflon pans many people use them ""safely"" for years without issue. I will never use them (not just for Peanut, I'm not to keen on wrapping my food in plastic and chemicals even if I didn't have a bird) but read the box before and it said not to exceed temperatures of 400 Fahrenheit. At that temp, or lower in faulty bags, it could possibly releases fumes whatever non-stick component was used in the bag? (or whatever plastic is used, who knows.)
And since cooking things in the oven at 350 is the norm, if the bag touches the side or the top of the oven that bag may start to melt (quite possible with a huge turkey, my father uses them at his house and they can inflate with steam even if vented.) Not to mention, if someone is in a hurry to cook that turkey they may not have read the instructions on that box and cranked the temp up.
Just a theory.
Whatever is going on, even if they are just heartbreaking rumors or something else was the cause, I personally wouldn't risk it.
Such a simple thing to remove from my life with safer alternatives, bags aren't missed.
