Two young sibling were rushed to the hospital after drinking apple juice laced with methanol.
Two siblings from Lancaster, Pennsylvania have been hospitalized after drinking tainted apple juice at an all-you-can-eat buffet located outside of the city. The ER doctors said that the 10-year-old and 4-year-old who were rushed to the hospital are in critical, but stable condition.
Richie Zaragoza and Ginaya Mendoza were rushed to a Lancaster hospital on Friday evening after suffering severe burns to their throats. The siblings’ parents told the doctors that their children started experiencing violent symptoms as soon as they took a couple of sips from their cups.
Richard Zaragoza Senior, the children’s father, declared that it was his son’s birthday on Friday and decided to let him and his younger sister decide how to spend the day. At Richie’s request, the siblings’ mother took them to the Star Buffet, an all-you-can-eat locale located outside of Lancaster.
Mister Zaragoza told the reporters that his family dined more than once at the Star Buffet, and that didn’t experience any issues. The father added that the apple juice ordered by the children is usually served alongside a Styrofoam cup, so the client may pour his drink if he doesn’t want to drink it directly from the bottle.
However, as Zaragoza recalls, when Richie and his sister ordered their drinks, the waiter brought them in Styrofoam cups. The siblings’ mother said that Richie and his sister took only a few sips from their cups, before starting to experience unusual symptoms.
After saying that he doesn’t feel too good, Richie started to vomit and to cough up blood. His sisters experienced similar symptoms. Panicking, the woman immediately called an ambulance which took the siblings to a Lancaster hospital.
The doctors who treated Richie and his sisters told their parents that the children suffered severe burns on their throat after drinking the apple juice. Further lab analysis revealed that the drinks contained a high level of methanol, which can be lethal if consumed in large quantities.
At this moment, the siblings from Lancaster have been listed as being in a critical, but stable condition. Zaragoza Senior declared that he is appalled by the diner’s lack of concern regarding his children’s condition. The man said that Richie’s life hangs by a thread, as the child also has diabetes and was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
The buffet’s owner said that he bought the tainted apple juice from a nearby supermarket and that the diner’s other clients did not experience such symptoms. Zaragoza added that one of the adults who witnessed the even tasted the tainted beverage and said that it has a slightly acid taste. Moreover, after just a couple of minutes, he started spitting blood.
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