Toddler in Hospital After Happy Meal Scare
A two-year-old girl required hospital treatment after allegedly drinking a cleaning fluid from a bottle that came with her McDonald's Happy Meal. The incident occurred on Thursday at a drive-thru branch of the fast-food giant in the Kassel-Bettenhausen region of Hesse, Germany.
Mother's Terrifying Ordeal
According to the Hessisch-Niedersächsische Allgemeine (HNA) newspaper, Katharina Schlemm, 34, was with her young daughter when they visited the restaurant. The mother claims that the 0.33-litre drinking bottle, which should have contained water, was instead filled with a strongly alcoholic-smelling liquid, probably a disinfectant.
Ms Schlemm reported that her child turned bright red and screamed after consuming the liquid. The situation escalated when, according to the mother, the shift supervisor failed to take the matter seriously and even demanded the bottle back. This prompted Ms Schlemm to contact the police.
Police Investigation and Response
A police spokesperson confirmed that officers have launched an investigation on suspicion of negligent bodily harm. Authorities have confiscated the bottle in question and are analysing its contents to determine the exact substance involved.
Paramedics treated the toddler at the scene before her mother took her to Kassel Hospital as a precaution to rule out potential poisoning. Fortunately, the police stated that the child was not seriously injured. They also indicated that there is currently no evidence of any intentional wrongdoing by the McDonald's branch.
McDonald's press office in Munich acknowledged the incident, with a company spokesperson telling HNA they are deeply affected by the events. The spokesperson confirmed the company is fully cooperating with the investigation but cannot comment further until the matter is fully clarified.
Ms Schlemm expressed her confusion over how the liquid ended up in the bottle, noting that she didn't notice anything amiss when she initially opened it in the parking lot. The bottle was fitted with a sports cap, as confirmed by police.
Another witness who contacted the HNA described a scene of commotion with numerous flashing blue lights, disrupting what was meant to be a peaceful meal.
