The day was supposed to be the beginning of their beautiful chapter; instead, it turned into a nightmare for a New York City couple.
A groom and bride were allegedly left “bedridden” after consuming norovirus-tainted food catered by a boutique hotel in Brooklyn at their wedding reception. Along with the newlyweds, dozens of their guests suffered the same fate. Now, the couple is suing the hotel and seeking damages for ruining their big day.
According to the American Medical Association, norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, often accompanied by fever or headache.
Michael Ahern, an attorney, and his wife held a lavish $30,000 reception at The Box House in Greenpoint on November 30, 2024. However, the event ended up with “repeated episodes of vomiting and diarrhea.” According to the lawsuit viewed by The Independent, the couple endured “chills, abdominal cramps, and fatigue” and were bedridden for “several days” after the event.
“Instead of beginning their marriage by celebrating with family and friends, Plaintiff and his spouse spent the days following their wedding suffering from the debilitating effects of the norovirus outbreak caused by food served at their reception,” the suit claimed.
The complaint adds that the 31 guests developed “acute gastrointestinal symptoms” over the next day or two.
According to the report, the Aherns and more than 30 of the 112 attendees tested positive for norovirus. A New York City Health Department investigation found the newlyweds and the infected attendees consumed three food items at the reception: macaroni-and-cheese croquettes, prosciutto, and a “seasonal crumble” dessert.
The investigation also identified “multiple deficiencies in (the hotel restaurant’s) food-safety and sanitation practices,” including the absence of hand soap in the kitchen and a proper thermometer for determining food temperatures.
The Health Department report stated that an employee, who had tested positive for norovirus, failed to mention being sick. However, they added that the employee had not made any of the three dishes that are in question and concluded that “specific food vehicles as a mode of transmission remain undetermined for this outbreak.”
The Box House Hotel’s spokesperson has issued an apology to the Aherns and their guests. “We’re sorry that guests got sick after this wedding. It was meant to be one of the best nights of their lives, and it wasn’t, and we understand why that still stings.”
The spokesperson added that the hotel, which scored an A during an inspection, is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities and following all of their guidance. “We retrained our people on handwashing and on reporting illness, we tightened how we check food temperatures, and we had the restaurant and the event spaces fully disinfected, which was requested by the Department of Health, and we happily obliged.”
Furthermore, the hotel also argues that norovirus was “everywhere in New York that winter.”
The hotel’s spokesperson said, “A wedding weekend runs over several days and several venues, with food from more than one kitchen, and people moving through a city where the virus was already widespread. It could have started in any of those places; to attribute it to merely one space is not appropriate given the Norovirus’ rampant spread throughout all of New York City at the time. Further, the client brought in their own food from after-party pizzas as well as cakes and other items for their guests to enjoy for their wedding.”
The hotel has about three weeks to file an answer to the complaint in court.
Disclaimer: The Inquisitr could not independently verify the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available within the public record.
