07/08/2011 // WPB, FL, USA // Personal Injury Lawyers News // Nicole Howley

Longmont, CO — A Longmont Chili’s location served three children fruit smoothies with alcohol in them on the Fourth of July, which allegedly had so much alcohol in them that the mother claimed the drinks “would have been strong for me,” reported 9News.com.

Pam Bruenning and her three children—all 8 or younger—were enjoying the July 4th holiday when they decided to stop in Chili’s for some food and to cool off.

Bruenning ordered three fruit smoothies for her children, and after drinking them for a little while, her 8-year-old daughter began saying she was dizzy and had stomach pains.

Bruenning told 9 News that her daughter said, “‘Mom, this doesn’t taste really good,’ and so I leaned over to take a drink to see if something was wrong with it and it was just loaded with tequila. You could tell right away. I mean, it didn’t take much.”

“If I would have had one then I know that would have been strong for me, and I can’t imagine how strong that was for them,” Bruenning said.

Bruenning subsequently complained to the management, who then called the fire department and EMTs to come check out the children. The responding emergency crews couldn’t get a breathalyzer reading because of their age and ability to perform the test or the fact that the alcohol had metabolized yet.

The children didn’t need further medical treatment and were not taken to a hospital. Instead, the children attended the fireworks show later that evening.

Police reported that the smoothies were in kids cups, so there could be a level of negligence. The incident also occurred during peak business hours and should have been noticed by the server.

Longmont Police have passed on the case to the city prosecutor. No one has officially been charged.

The family is still deciding if they are going to press charges.

The Longmont Chili’s released a statement through its owner, Brinker International:

“At Chili’s, the health and safety of our guests is of utmost importance. Because it’s a top priority, we train our servers and bartenders on responsible alcohol service and hold them accountable to adhering to our policies and procedures. The Longmont Chili’s cooperated fully with local authorities in this instance. Additionally, we are conducting our own formal and thorough internal investigation. We take violations of Chili’s policies and procedures very seriously, and if warranted, disciplinary action – which can include termination – is taken.”

Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for Colorado personal injury lawyers.

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