Child Finds Marijuana in Her McDonald's Happy Meal

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.

An attorney for McDonald's would not comment publicly on the Irelan's plans to sue.

This isn't the first time an incident has happened with a McDonald's Happy Meal containing something other then the children's toy that should be in there. There have been a few reports over the years of switch blades, drug smoking pipes and even rats being in the boxes that were given to children.

Sources -
www.nbc5.com/news/13332254/detail.html