McDonald's Customer Claims She Found a Needle in Her Hamburger

A Kentucky woman says she found the tip of a needle in her McDonald's hamburger, but not until biting into it.

Erin Spellman says her son, step-mom and father were eating lunch Monday at the Hamburg shopping area McDonald's in Lexington, Kentucky, when her step-mom bit into something hard, Lex18 news reports.

Spellman took to Facebook to share the family's event, as well as a photo of the needle her step-mom found. "Just thought I'd scare everyone with something that personally happened to my family today — my dad and stepmom were eating at the McDonald's in Hamburg and found a NEEDLE in her hamburger. Health dept has been called but fair warning ... do NOT go there!!!" she wrote.

At first, Spellman said her step-mom thought she'd found a cap, but after taking it out of her mouth—and pricking her finger on it—she discovered it was the tip of a hypodermic needle.

The family spent several hours in the emergency room as the woman received testing and treatment.

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department spokesperson Kevin Hall says the situation is being investigated, though the restaurant remains open. "A health inspector visited the restaurant, surveyed the ingredients used to make the burger and found no evidence of contamination," said Hall. He "also spoke with the restaurant's managers, who reported that they and their staff had no idea how the needle could have been found in the burger."

The restaurant's owner and operator Denise Long also expressed her concern over the situation and issued a written statement to news outlets: "We take this allegation very seriously, as food safety is a top priority. We are working to verify the facts and welcome the partnership with the health department in this matter."