Kentucky Couple Allege Illness Traced Back to Local Chuck E. Cheese; Venue Temporarily Closed for Investigation

EXCLUSIVE: Kentucky Couple Claims their Illness Originates from a Visit to a Local Family Entertainment Venue

Luck took a turn for a Kentucky couple when a seemingly fun-filled family occasion at a popular entertainment venue, Chuck E. Cheese, in Lexington transformed into a nightmare. The couple alleges that the venue is the source of their sickness which eventually landed one of them in hospital. The claims triggered an investigation by the Lexington Fayette County Health Department, subsequently leading to a temporary closing of the venue’s kitchen.

The Unfortunate Experience

On April 6, Eric and Jennifer Carter, with 30 others comprising of family and friends, visited the Chuck E. Cheese at Woodhill Shopping Center for their granddaughter’s birthday party. But what started as a celebration swiftly turned into an ill-fated gathering when they began experiencing health complications.

<<"The only thing I ate was a piece of pepperoni pizza, which I thought tasted funny," recalls Eric. Jennifer shares her experience of consuming four slices of pizza, one slice of cheese bread, and just a bite of a chicken wing. They noticed that the chicken wings served were cold and returned them.

Unpleasant Aftermath

Moving ahead, 48 hours later, the couple started experiencing a foul aftertaste that rapidly escalated, leading to severe vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. They claim that at least 20 counterparts from the party had experienced similar symptoms. Jennifer’s condition worsened and took her to the edge where she was battling with severe dehydration.

Eric shares the horrifying incident when he found Jennifer almost lifeless; she had passed out, with still eyes and a blue hue standing out starkly on her skin. “I thought, you know, I just lost my wife in my arms,” he said.

Post Incident Actions

Once Jennifer recuperated, the couple submitted a complaint to the Fayette County Health Department. Meanwhile, previous health inspection reports on the business for the last two years exhibited scores ranging between 80 to 97. The most recent examination, which took place three days post the birthday event, yielded a score of 93 for Chuck E. Cheese.

Venue’s Response

The firm acknowledged being aware of the consumer grievance reported and stated they passed an inspection with a 93 on April 10, consequent to the complaint. However, they fail the inspection on April 9 due to the absence of a local health department food handler permit since their previous manager, who possessed the certification, had abruptly quit. The new manager has, since then, cleared the exam and is awaiting a new inspection.

Expert’s Take

While Chuck E. Cheese did not comment directly on the Carters’ food poisoning accusations, a local physician, Dr. Jeff Foxx, explained that although food poisoning is generally self-limited, and on some occasions, may progress further. However, such instances are sporadic, especially for healthy people.

Future Concerns

Despite their ordeal, the Carters highlight a more significant issue. “It’s sad that we had our grandchild’s birthday party, and we had to worry about everybody potentially getting sick,” Saud Jennifer, voicing concern over their granddaughter’s birthday party turning into a potential health hazard for the entire group.