In a shocking lapse of safety protocols, an Australian restaurant was fined $28,000 after a harrowing incident where two young girls were mistakenly served insect repellent instead of cranberry juice. This alarming event unfolded at Miky’s Italian Fusion in Perth, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The unfortunate mix-up occurred in June 2024 when sisters Hannah, 12, and Olivia Lemin, 11, were dining with their family. Unbeknownst to them, the pink liquid they were served was actually citronella torch and lamp solution, not the refreshing juice they had anticipated.
Upon tasting the liquid, the girls immediately realized something was amiss. They spat out the repugnant drink, exclaiming to their parents that it tasted “poisoned.” Their mother, Michele Lemin, recounted the terrifying moment to the news outlet, recalling how her daughters’ cries of “It’s poisoned” were initially met with disbelief until she herself tasted the foul liquid.
Marcus Lemin, the girls’ father, was understandably alarmed and sought answers from the restaurant staff. However, his request to inspect the bottle from which the drink was poured was met with resistance. An employee dismissively claimed it was merely “old cranberry juice,” further compounding the family’s distress.
“I said, ‘Don’t be silly,’ and took the glass, and I went to gulp it down and then spat it out.”
Their horrified father, Marcus Lemin, immediately confronted the staff and demanded to see the bottle his daughters had been served from – but an employee refused, insisting it was “just old cranberry juice.”
He eventually got hold of the bottle and, following guidance from the poisons information center, rushed his kids to Perth Children’s Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, the outlet reported.
“My daughters’ … stomachs were burning, their fingers and hands were tingling,” Michele said, noting the duo also suffered “a headache,” calling the entire experience “awful.”
Olivia later told 9 News she was “scared” and thought she was “going to die.”
An investigation was quickly launched following the dangerous mishap, leading to the Italian eatery’s former owner, Michele Angiuli, losing his business. He was also found guilty of selling unsafe food, failing to exercise due diligence, and two additional charges, according to ABC.
Angiuli’s lawyer added that his client no longer works in the hospitality industry.
Marcus told the outlet he hopes the harrowing incident serves as a warning to other restaurants.
“I think the issue for me is more that it drives a bit more rigor in the industry,” he said.
“And that we get to a point where maybe business owners in the hospitality industry understand the accountabilities they hold.”
