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Drugs find shocks young mum
A disgusted mother has vowed never to return to a fast food restaurant again after finding an empty bag of drugs stuffed inside the baby changing unit.
Maria Moran, of Romilly Drive in Carpenders Park, visited the branch of McDonalds, in St Albans Road, Watford, last Friday morning for breakfast.
However, when she went to change her seven-month-old toddler, Kieran, Maria found a bag containing the remnants of tobacco, mixed with what she assumed to be cannabis, had been stuffed inside the drop-down baby changing unit.
Maria says the bag was made from a clear plastic and had a cannabis leaf printed on the side.
She immediately complained to staff inside the restaurant and has since complained to the manager of the branch.
Maria says if her infant son had got hold of the bag while she changed him on the unit it could have choked on the bag.
She said: "My seven month old baby is teething and he is putting everything in his mouth. If he had put that in his mouth who knows what would have happened?
"I was just appalled that a family restaurant could have something like that in the baby changing room."
Maria has since contacted the police about the incident.
Hertfordshsire Constabulary have confirmed an officer was sent to the restaurant to investigate the complaint. However they were unable to tell whether the bag contained an illegal substance as it was empty.
Meanwhile Maria is demanding to know why the bag was in the baby changing room in the first place.
She says signs are up inside the toilets and baby changing areas saying they are inspected regularly by members of staff.
Indeed the manager of the McDonalds restaurant, Runa Uddin, has also said staff check the facility every 15 minutes.
However, Maria has demanded to know why, if that is true, the offending item was not removed.
Maria has complaining to the manager of the restaurant and has been offered a £15 voucher to spend at McDonalds - something she says she has absolutely no intention of using.
She added: "That for me is not good enough.
"Someone there is accountable for this and if their toilets are checked regularly there is no may that could be left there.
"To me it is unacceptable to bring any kind of family into a restaurant like that, let alone a young family."
9:17am Monday 24th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Ellard Roberts, Oxhey on 9:42am Mon 24 Mar 08
Whilst I agree with the sentiment, the staff can't exactly follow every member of the public using the toilets. Yes, of course, the stuff shouldn't have been there, I think this lady is going over the top with her reactions.
Whilst I agree with the sentiment, the staff can't exactly follow every member of the public using the toilets. Yes, of course, the stuff shouldn't have been there, I think this lady is going over the top with her reactions.
Posted by: Anon, Bushey on 10:43am Mon 24 Mar 08
I would complain if they served me with an empty bag of chips - but finding an empty bag of what [italic]might[/italic] have contained cannabis used for arthritis? Stop trying to follow the 'American Compensation Claim Culture' and get a life.
I would complain if they served me with an empty bag of chips - but finding an empty bag of what
might have contained cannabis used for arthritis? Stop trying to follow the 'American Compensation Claim Culture' and get a life.
Posted by: Derek, Norwich on 1:49pm Mon 24 Mar 08
Oh dear, a slow news day in Watford I see.
Honestly, this woman eats in a McDonalds and then complains about finding an empty bag which might have harmed her baby? What about the burger?
Oh dear, a slow news day in Watford I see.
Honestly, this woman eats in a McDonalds and then complains about finding an empty bag which might have harmed her baby? What about the burger?
Posted by: John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, Devon (formerly Oxhey Village) on 3:22pm Mon 24 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Derek[/bold] wrote:
Oh dear, a slow news day in Watford I see. Honestly, this woman eats in a McDonalds and then complains about finding an empty bag which might have harmed her baby? What about the burger?[/quote] Its very possible the mother went in to McDonalds to use the baby change facility first and foremost and certainly had no intention (I hope) of feeding her baby the burger! My recent experience with a one year old granddaughter has taught me to remember which restaurants and shops have baby change facilities!
Derek wrote:
Oh dear, a slow news day in Watford I see. Honestly, this woman eats in a McDonalds and then complains about finding an empty bag which might have harmed her baby? What about the burger?
Its very possible the mother went in to McDonalds to use the baby change facility first and foremost and certainly had no intention (I hope) of feeding her baby the burger! My recent experience with a one year old granddaughter has taught me to remember which restaurants and shops have baby change facilities!
Posted by: users.co.uk, Watford on 9:04pm Mon 24 Mar 08
Mountain, mole hill. If this lady thinks that this is the worst thing that she's going to experience in bringing up her newborn, then she has a lot to learn. The rest of us realise that the Restaurant Management are doing what they can to provide a pleasant environment for it's customers. A goodwill gesture was made, she should have taken it. She'll get nowhere if she attempts to go up against MacDonalds lawyers, not even £15.
I like the way that the contents of the bag went missing. Oops, the contents must have falen out and got swept up with the rubbish. Exactly what would have happened if I'd been in charge. Possession being nine tenths of the law, no evidence, no case. The best way - MacDonalds didn't put the stuff there, why should they get stiffed?
The fact that these fast food restaurants serve such evil ware has nothing to do with anything. They do offer healthy options - it's just that WE don't want it. Go on then lady, cut off your nose to spite your face and never eat another Macky Dees. Or accept their apology and their gesture and get on with your life.
Mountain, mole hill. If this lady thinks that this is the worst thing that she's going to experience in bringing up her newborn, then she has a lot to learn. The rest of us realise that the Restaurant Management are doing what they can to provide a pleasant environment for it's customers. A goodwill gesture was made, she should have taken it. She'll get nowhere if she attempts to go up against MacDonalds lawyers, not even £15.
I like the way that the contents of the bag went missing. Oops, the contents must have falen out and got swept up with the rubbish. Exactly what would have happened if I'd been in charge. Possession being nine tenths of the law, no evidence, no case. The best way - MacDonalds didn't put the stuff there, why should they get stiffed?
The fact that these fast food restaurants serve such evil ware has nothing to do with anything. They do offer healthy options - it's just that WE don't want it. Go on then lady, cut off your nose to spite your face and never eat another Macky Dees. Or accept their apology and their gesture and get on with your life.
Posted by: Tamilla, Watford on 6:07pm Sun 30 Mar 08
i would never go to this macdonalds anyway after being lucky enough to suffer food poisoning on two seperate occasions - after eating their food
i would never go to this macdonalds anyway after being lucky enough to suffer food poisoning on two seperate occasions - after eating their food
Posted by: mitch1975, watford on 2:50pm Sun 13 Apr 08
To all the sad people who have read this article and have put hurtfull comments on here, then you are the ones that need to get a life.
I know this person and she is not a single "chav" mum out to make something from this, she is just proving that there are scum out there that use family restarant's to consume this stuff. So if you have got nothing better to do after reading this article then you are not much better then the people that leave this stuff laying around.
To all the sad people who have read this article and have put hurtfull comments on here, then you are the ones that need to get a life.
I know this person and she is not a single "chav" mum out to make something from this, she is just proving that there are scum out there that use family restarant's to consume this stuff. So if you have got nothing better to do after reading this article then you are not much better then the people that leave this stuff laying around.
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