Father: Children burned from drinking apple juice at restaurant

LANCASTER, PA (KTRK) -- A Pennsylvania father claims his two children were burned after drinking apple juice from a restaurant.

The Zaragoza family went to the Star Buffet to celebrate their son Richard's 10th birthday. It was his restaurant of choice and favorite place to eat.

Richard's mother took him and other kids for his birthday dinner Friday, including her 4-year-old daughter Ginaya Mendoza.

Richard and Ginaya ordered apple juice, but as soon as they took a drink, they began to throw up.

"As soon as they took a sip of it, they were throwing up. And there was blood you know and all that stuff," Richard Zaragoza Sr., said.

The children were sent to the hospital where they were treated for burns in their throats, their parents said.

The family said they have been going to the restaurant for several years, but they said this experience was different.

"And that's the other thing, like any other time that they brought the apple juice to us they would bring a Styrofoam cup with ice and a separate drink so you can open and pour it if you want to. You know this time they brought it already made," Zaragoza said.

WPMT reached out to the restaurant. They told the station that they bought the apple juice from a local super market.

Meanwhile, Zaragoza said no one from Star Buffet has contacted him.

"Still open for business, which is mind-baffling to me," Zaragoza said.