On May 1st, 2024, the Johnson County District Attorney filed criminal charges against a Hereford House employee for contaminating food with a bodily fluid. Many Hereford House customers have reported developing food poisoning symptoms. On May 16th and 17th, Goza & Honnold filed lawsuits in the Johnson County District Court on behalf of individuals who became ill after eating at Hereford House in April. We are currently investigating potential claims for additional individuals. If you ate at the Hereford House Restaurant at 5001 Town Center Drive in Leawood, KS in March or April 2024 (“the contamination period”) and experienced food poisoning symptoms, please contact our office at 913-451-3433 or click here to schedule your free consultation.
The contamination is alleged to have occurred between March 26th and April 25th, 2024, according to the Leawood Police Department and the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office. However, the Hereford House has since claimed the contamination period is shorter, between April 6th and April 23rd. It is not clear at this time what the basis is for Hereford House to claim a shorter period of contamination.
The Leawood Police Department reports it has received over 300 phone calls and/or reports concerning the investigation to its tipline and email address (913-266-0696; tips@leawood.org). While the criminal investigation is ongoing, certain details have been released to the public, including the arrest warrant affidavit (WARNING: the affidavit contains details that are disturbing). According to the affidavit, for several weeks, the Hereford House employee was posting videos and images of himself contaminating various food items in the restaurant kitchen.
The Hereford House employee remains in Johnson County jail on a $100,000 bond and is facing criminal charges for unlawfully adulterating or contaminating food, a severity level-9 person felony. The next court date for criminal proceedings is scheduled for June 6, 2024. The civil claims Goza & Honnold has filed are against Hereford House, based on legal theories including negligent supervision, breach of warranty, and product liability.
Food contamination refers to food that contains a foreign object such as plastic, metal, or, in the case of a Leawood, Kansas Hereford House restaurant – bodily fluid. Food contamination of this kind can cause food poisoning or food-borne illnesses in those who consumed contaminated food.
Causes of Food-borne Illnesses
Food-borne illness are caused by eating food that is contaminated by:
- Parasites
- Toxins
- Viruses
- Bacteria
- Bodily Fluid
- Other foreign objects.
Contamination by bodily fluid can also lead to illnesses such as Hepatitis A, HIV, Salmonella, Shigella, Norwalk virus, and E. coli.
Symptoms of Food-borne Illnesses
Symptoms of food-borne illnesses include:
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach flu-like symptoms
- Fever
- Bloody vomit or stools
- Signs or symptoms of dehydration