Blood on Breadstick, My Child's Health Concerns
My young child was sitting next to me eating a breadstick when I noticed something on the breadstick. It looked like blood. It was not coming from her. I told the waiter. It looked like blood to him. He called the manager. The manager checked in the kitchen, she could not find whose blood it was. I asked the waiter if the breadsticks came from somewhere else, he said no. I wanted to trace whose blood my daughter ingested. The couple in the booth diagonal to my family, overheard the manager, and wondered what was going on. I just showed them the breadstick (I wanted to stay calm for my child who said "Am I going to die?" after she saw the staff reacting. They literally were all standing around and staring at my child). The couple thought it was blood, and they left without getting their food. The manager took photos and our info. We called the pediatrician and left. The doctor on call said there is nothing we could do. They could not rule out that it was blood. They could not do anything about what she had already ingested. This is a nightmare, a constant worry about what life-threatening diseases my child could contract from this biohazard. I got a call from Liberty Mutual. Olive Garden has taken NO responsibility. Liberty Mutual has taken NO responsibility. I have begged them to investigate.
We are monitoring her health. I do not know what else to do.
Here is the one of the letter's I sent Olive Garden after nothing had been done after 5 months of worrying:
(Emailed on Olive Garden website on 5/13/2013).
Thank you for contacting Guest Relations.
We respond personally to each email. Because of recent high volume, it may take up to four business days for us to respond.
"Please Help, my child Ingested a bloody bread stick at Olive Garden
Do you know whose blood it is?
Does anyone know whose blood it is? Has this person been tested? My daughter was fed someone's blood, a biohazard. Certainly, someone investigated this? Please let us know... there are health implications.
Karen, the manager at the time, was attentive. She realized the seriousness and handled it with sensitivity. She wrote up a report and took pictures. However, we have been ignored, neglected, and abused ever since it was handed over to Darden Claims Unit, Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Today, I tried again to get a hold of Carmen, the Sr. Claims Rep to see what was being done (she sent two generic letters only). She was not accessible. I spoke with Robert, he said he was not familiar with the accident. Instead of becoming familiar with the facts, he was aggressive and told me it was not their job to pursue me. He spoke in generic answers without considering what I was asking or what we, as a family, are going through. He spoke to me in such a manner he made me cry and I started shaking. I thought it was best if I spoke with someone else. I was then handed over to Marie (last name omitted) . I was unable to get any information about your investigation, or what has been done, or what is being done.
I called Mark, the new Olive Garden Manager. I was hoping he knew something or could get a hold of Karen...maybe she knows something?
Do you know whose blood it is?
For your reference, this is what Liberty Mutual (personal info omitted)
Please help."
(name omitted) read more