A manager at a Kentucky Dairy Queen location is under fire after allegedly forcing numerous employees to ingest ice cream that was knowingly tainted with chemicals.
Some of the employees found themselves in a hospital after consuming the spiked snack, according to WKYT-TV in Lexington.
The mother of one of the affected employees said her teen daughter quit her job because of the manager’s actions, and the local sheriff’s office is investigating the incident, the report said.
WKYT reported the incident occurred Friday at a Dairy Queen in the Eastern Kentucky town of Campton.
Angela Patton, the mother of one of the employees affected, told the station that during a mandatory meeting at the restaurant, a manager told all workers who were present they had no choice but to eat ice cream that had been contaminated with a cleaning solution.
She explained her reaction when she was informed of what had happened.
“Oh, I was livid. I was livid,” Patton said.
Eight employees in total consumed the ice cream, she told WKYT, and several of them were minors — including her 17-year-old daughter.
“They were told by the manager that whether or not they liked chocolate ice cream, they were going to eat it today,” Patton said.
Should the manager be arrested?
The angry mother said several of the employees found themselves in a local emergency room.
“Some of the kids had complained that they had a burning sensation when they swallowed the ice cream,” she said.
Patton said her child quit, and so did some of the other high school-aged kids.
But that is not the end of this, she said. Patton said she has consulted with an attorney and is considering taking action.
“What they’ve done is not right,” she said.
The manager allegedly responsible for the incident was not identified or accused of a crime.
The Wolfe County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating the incident.
While Deputy Elijah Banks said he could not offer many details because minors were involved, he said his office has been asking questions and is evaluating what to do about the allegations.
“We still have multiple people coming in to give statements, but as of now, it’s still under investigation,” Banks said.
Steve Caudill, who owns the Dairy Queen franchise in Campton, told WKYT he is also investigating the claims of those who said they were essentially compelled to drink poison at his restaurant.
“The safety of our fans and crew members is our top priority. When we received complaints, we immediately began an investigation, which is ongoing,” Caudill said.
He added that the company had severed ties with the manager in question in the five days since the allegations were made.
“Know that we contacted local law enforcement to assist and we are fully cooperating with their investigation,” Caudill said.
