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Two siblings from Pennsylvania were listed in critical, but stable condition, at he Hershey Medical Center after drinking methanol-laced apple juice.
Lately, several news outlets from Lancaster, Pennsylvania shared the story of a pair of siblings who have been hospitalized in critical condition, after drinking apple juice at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Due to ingesting the dubious beverage, the siblings suffered throat and mouth burns. One of the children has diabetes and cystic fibrosis.
On Friday, Virginia Davis of Lancaster took 10-year-old Richie Zaragoza and Ginaya Mendoza, the boy’s 4-year-old stepsister to the local Star Buffet & Grill, an all-you-can-eat locale. Davis told the reporters that it was Richie’s birthday and that he was the one who picked up the place.
The woman added that it wasn’t the first time they dined at Star Buffet & Grill and that they’ve never had a reason to complain about the food, beverages, or service. Davis said that the boy’s favorite menu item was the buffet’s all-natural apple juice, which is usually served in a can, accompanied by a plastic cup.
Usually, when they had dinner at the buffet, the waiter will bring the can and the cup, should the clients feel the need to drink the beverage out of a plastic cup instead of its original container. However, Davis recalls that after placing their order, the waiter returned with the apple juice already poured in cups, probably forgetting to bring the original container.
After taking a couple of sips from their cups, Richie and Ginaya began experiencing extreme symptoms. The boy’s younger stepsister began to vomit. Seconds later, Richie began vomiting large amounts of blood. The woman recalls that the boy kept screaming at the top of this lungs that his throat feels as if it was on fire.
The woman immediately contacted the authorities, who transported the siblings to the local Hershey Medical Center. After concluding their examination, the doctors told Davis and Richard Zaragoza Senior, her husband, that their children might have ingested methanol.
Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania siblings spend the whole night in the hospital’s intensive care unit. The doctor managed to treat the throat and mouth burns, but the children are still in critical, although stable, condition.
During a press interview, Zaragoza Senior declared that his son was struggling for his life in the ICU and that the doctors gave him sedatives for his pain. Furthermore, considering the extent of Richie’s lesion, the doctors also decided to intubate him.
The boy’s father said that Richie has additional health issues, having been diagnosed with diabetes and cystic fibrosis. When questioned about the apple juice, the locale’s owner declared that it was acquired from a local supermarket.
Despite that two children are in critical condition at the hospital after consuming methanol-laced beverages at Star Buffet & Grill, the managers decided to resume activity.
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