Back in the day, we all hoped that the “razor blade in the apple” Halloween scam was just another elaborate hoax to make sure parents paid attention to what their kids received from neighbors. Since the holiday is the only occasion when it’s okay to beg for goods from a stranger, it makes sense. But treats and food handed out by family members or well-known restaurant chains? Usually, there’s no reason to be concerned. Until now.
A family in Wisconsin hit up their local McDonald’s in early March and got much more than they bargained for.
Along with his standard Happy Meal fare, the 4-year-old son of Scot Dymond of Columbus found a cleaning tool which he mistook for a toy. The tool included a razor and was identified as being used to clean the machinery in back.
While it seems like an honest mistake, it’s still a dangerous one — and if Dymond wasn’t paying attention, his son could have been seriously hurt.
“I was angry,” Dymond said to NBC15. “I was upset. The manager said they were sorry and they could comp us a free meal. I don’t want a meal. I want my kid to be safe and everyone else’s kids to be safe.”
It’s probably standard to offer up a free meal, but based on the severity of the mistake, it makes sense as to why Dymond was unhappy with the offer.
Dymond was so upset over what happened that he took it one step further.
He went ahead and called the police, who investigated the Happy Meal incident even more.
The McDonald’s location complied with the search.
They admitted the tool that was found in the Happy Meal was definitely one that was used in the store by McDonald’s staff members.
But the good news? It seems like it was a complete accident.
The police believe it fell off of a shelf, right above where Happy Meal boxes were stored.
It must not have been checked before being handed off to Dymond’s young son.
Probably a bad mistake but still the store is responsible for this. Which store?
— ✨ Fight The Good Fight! (@UsBleachers) March 5, 2019
Even though it’s a scene that’d horrify any parent, it’s nice to know that the police didn’t find the act to be malicious.
There are so many people out there who may have been in it for the sick prank, but thankfully, not the employees at that particular location.
Even though it’d be unhealthy to check the insides of every burger that gets handed to you and your family, it’s a good reminder that you should always be on the lookout.
In this situation, a quick look in the box would have saved Dymond a lot of worries.
And he did have good reason to worry.
“Injury, choking, a lot of different things could have panned out of this, but fortunately did not,” Lt. Dennis Weiner from the Columbus Police Department said, per PIX11.
Dymond initially posted about the incident on Facebook.
Still outraged, People said that he was especially heated over the free meal.
“Are you kidding me? My [child] could have sliced his arm open or a finger off!” he reportedly wrote.
What the parents can't say is "I'm so glad my kid found it, and didn't eat it. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're about to get paid!" https://t.co/LLhCYJlL9R
— Tyler Richardson (@Ty1erRichardson) March 6, 2019
After the story went viral, people think that Dymond should be glad nothing worse happened, yet accept it was a mistake. Especially since the police feel like there’s no foul play.
Even though McDonald’s owned up to using that specific tool, people still think the whole issue was fake.
Probably because “customers planting items in food” is a well-known maneuver to gain money and exposure. (Or, free food for life.)
But it’s better to view this as a completely unintentional mistake.
From now on, both parties will be a lot more careful to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Dymond may never go to that McDonald’s again, but it shouldn’t stop you from visiting the popular family restaurant.
Surely after this story broke, managers everywhere likely checked to make sure their cleaning tools were as far away as possible from their food and packaging.
The best way to avoid a similar catastrophe?
Bring the food home, and make sure it’s all out on the table and out of the packaging before the family sits down.
You can even recycle the plastic that your child’s actual Happy Meal toy comes in before they sit down, to avoid extra clutter and hazards.
It’s important to remember that this could have happened to anyone. So even though parents are probably on high alert over this story, that tool could have fallen anywhere.
Really, this is a lesson to everyone.
You want to give your favorite restaurants the benefit of the doubt, but if something seems strange about what’s given to you, make sure you tell someone right away. While nothing is of equal worth to personal safety, the manager will do everything they can to right their wrong.
