Child Finds Marijuana in Her McDonald's Happy Meal

Would You like Fries with Your Marijuana?

By Lisa Ann, published May 16, 2007
Published Content: 103  Total Views: 103,497  Favorited By: 35 CPs
Rating: 4.8 of 5
Keith and Andrea Irelan's 8 year old daughter got more then she bargained for when they bought a happy meal for her on Monday night. What started out as a planned trip to their local McDonald's restaurant followed by a picnic in the park turned into a big surprise for the Chicago area family according to WMAQ-Chicago.

It was after the Irelans got to the park with their three children that their daughter, who the parents did not want to identify, told her parents that she had received more then one toy in her Happy Meal. Andrea asked her daughter what she received and her daughter replied "A lighter, and another toy". When her mother looked inside her Happy Meal box she found the Shrek toy that should be in there, but was shocked to find not only the lighter her daughter mentioned, but a small marijuana pipe and a small bag of marijuana.

The Irelans immediately called police who went to the McDonald's where the meals were purchased to interview the employee's. On Tuesday, with the help of fellow employees and managers at the McDonald's, Ottawa police arrested 17 year old McDonald's employee (now former) Brandon Scott. Ottawa Police Chief Brian Zeilmann said Scott has been charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said Scott told them he had come into work for the day and forgot he had his marijuana and pipe in his pocket. He decided to hide the bag of weed, his lighter and the pipe in one of the Happy Meal boxes until he could get it at the end of his shift. Unfortunately for him though he forgot the box and left it where another employee could grab it and put the child's food and toy into it. The employee was quickly throwing the contents in the box and never noticed the items that were in it.

McDonald's released a statement saying the employee who was detained and subsequently arrest by police was immediately fired and they have offered a formal apology to the Irelans. The Irelans though say that is not enough for the pain and embarrassment they have had to go through on top of the effect they said the incident will have on their daughter and have planned to sue the McDonald's corporation.

Child Finds Marijuana in Her McDonald's Happy Meal

McDonald's

Credit: McDonald's

Copyright: McDonald's

Comments
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Wow...Thanks for sharing this well written article.

Posted on 10/08/2007 at 1:10:00 PM

 
now THAT'S what I call a HAPPY MEAL!!!

Posted on 08/28/2007 at 8:08:00 PM

 
i hung out with brandon on the 4th n hes so cool to be around n at least he admitted it....he could have easily not said anything n then everyone got in trouble but he didnt and other people probably had stuff on them anyways so those people who thinks hes a "bad person" you dont know him at all so keep your mouth shut cuz he does regret it but he cant change the past so who cares

Posted on 07/06/2007 at 1:07:00 AM

 
thats friggin awesome...why couldnt it have been MY happy meal?

Posted on 06/01/2007 at 5:06:00 PM

 
Suing them won't solve anything. That child won't be disturbed, she most likely has seen something like that on T. V.! She knew exactly what it was! The parents need to grow up, they are just out for money and more than likely will end up losing and be out all that money for attounies! They need to get a life and move on!

Posted on 05/31/2007 at 5:05:00 PM

 
If the manager is his Mother, then maybe she needs to be fired for not doing her job as manager and having him tested for drugs! Give me a break!

Posted on 05/31/2007 at 5:05:00 PM

 
Frivolous law suits are one of the worst wastes of time that the courts have to put up with, and this just brings that point to light!

Posted on 05/28/2007 at 6:05:00 PM

 
First off, I am from the town where this happen and I know the family personally AND the bot who did it. When anything bad happens in this town, the media rips it apart. But when my high school raised more money that any other school for Hurricane Katrina there was no media there to show the GOOD parts of our town. That kid was always a trouble-maker, and the only reason he had that job was because his mother was a manager! So, I guess I don't see the problem with suing, because I can't imagine that there weren't people there that didn't know he was smoking pot.

Posted on 05/27/2007 at 10:05:00 PM

 
ya wanna know something funny? i would lay money on the fact that child knew what that was and was not traumatized in anyway. you'd be surprised what 8 year olds know about these days. my self finding pot...dude i'd be roflmao. as for suing....the parents need hit on the head. as for it not being mcdonald's fault...oh i think it is. they are supposed to conduct random drug testing and obviously were not, therefore can be held somewhat accountable. oh well, just anohter day in the life of twisted, corrupted society, lol

Posted on 05/25/2007 at 6:05:00 AM

 
Yes, suing is totally ridiculous. I like how A.L. Fox put it--how the parents should have kept the prize, used it, and mellowed out a bit. ROFL

Posted on 05/24/2007 at 5:05:00 PM

 
Interesting read.

Posted on 05/24/2007 at 4:05:00 PM

 
Unbelievable

Posted on 05/24/2007 at 11:05:00 AM

 
They could have just thrown it away and called it a day...

Posted on 05/24/2007 at 11:05:00 AM

 
"Unfortunately for him though he forgot the box and left it where another employee could grab it and put the child's food and toy into it." Cough-cough. Can you say stoner memory? :-) I think it's ridiculous that the child's parents are suing. An 8-year old child who shouldn't even know what drug paraphernalia looks like is NOT emotionally damaged from the mere site of a pipe and a bag of green. It isn't the fault of McDonald's.

Posted on 05/23/2007 at 10:05:00 PM

 
Wow this is shocking, but suing? Isn't that a bit much? Americans have become too sue happy and this family sounds like they just want a quick buck. I mean come on, it's not McDonald's fault and they fired the employee, what else can they do? And how can a child be traumatized by something she doesn't even know what is? Great reporting though!

Posted on 05/23/2007 at 7:05:00 PM

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