Toxic Tea: Woman Poisoned By Restaurant’s Sweet Tea Remains In Critical Condition

A Utah woman is in critical condition after she was poisoned by a restaurant’s sweet tea. Jan Harding, 67, was eating at a Dickey’s Barbeque Pit in South Jordan, Utah, when she was poisoned by chemical cleaners in the restaurant’s sweet tea.

According to KOCO, Harding’s throat and mouth started to burn almost immediately after she tasted the tea. An analysis of the drink by police found there wasn’t only tea in the serving container — there was a mix of cleaning chemicals as well. Police involved in the investigation said that it appears the chemical cleaner found in the sweet tea was the same cleaner that is used in the restaurant to clean the fryer. The chemical is highly toxic with the cleaning blend made up of 67 percent sodium hydroxide, a chemical that can be deadly when ingested.

Dr. Spencer Smith, who works in the emergency room at the University of Utah Hospital, told KOCO that the ingestion of this chemical can be highly dangerous.

“It can cause pretty severe burns, potentially burn through the esophagus and cause some severe bleeding and internal injuries.”

Harding was rushed to a nearby hospital but was taken via medical helicopter to the burn unit at the University of Utah Hospital. Sadly, since the incident, Harding has received some bad news. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Harding may require surgery due to the extensive burning of her upper esophagus. It has been a week since the incident, and Harding is still in critical condition in the burn unit.

Paxton Guymon, the attorney for the family, said the endoscopy results had been a blow to the Harding family, which had been hoping to get some better news.

“This means she is still in a very touch-and-go situation and she remains closely monitored by doctors. There’s been no signs of improvement; this is still very much a life-threatening situation.”

Police are still investigating how the tea got tainted. It is unknown at this time whether the chemical cleaner was placed in the tea due to improper storage, accidentally or if it was intentional. If it is discovered that the tea was poisoned intentionally, someone could be facing some serious charges.

In the meantime, the health department has inspected the Dickey’s and determined that there is no immediate health risk posed to patrons. The Dickey’s is still open and operating. The president of Dickey’s Barbeque Pit made the following statement:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to our guest and her family. Safety is something we take very seriously when it comes to our valued guests, as well as our own team members. At this time we are fully involved in cooperating with all parties. Out of respect for the privacy of our guest and her family, we will reserve further remarks for the time being.”