A 12-year-old boy experienced an unintended case of intoxication after a mix-up at an Outback Steakhouse in Livonia, Michigan, where he was mistakenly served a cocktail containing alcohol. Mekyle Cureton, who frequents the restaurant chain with his family, reported to FOX 2 that the strawberry daiquiri he received this time "didn't taste normal."
Shortly after consuming the beverage, the pre-teen began experiencing odd symptoms. "My head started hurting when I was leaving and my heart started beating as I was drinking it," Cureton described. Upon noticing these signs and recognising that the drink did not taste like the usual virgin versions, his grandmother, Yolanda Collins, took a precautionary sip herself. "We don't drink, so we couldn't tell whether there was alcohol in it or not," Collins explained to FOX 2. The bartending staff confirmed the error after the family brought the issue to their attention.
This incidental alcohol service led the family to seek medical attention for Mekyle, who received a diagnosis of accidental exposure to alcohol and accidental ingestion, detailed by WBTV. His treatment included Tylenol and advice to rest. The next day Mekyle encountered a most unusual rite of passage for his age: his first hangover.
Responding to the incident, an Outback Steakhouse spokesperson claimed, "We have taken the appropriate disciplinary action, and all our bartenders and staff have been retrained to ensure this does not happen again," according to a statement provided to PEOPLE. Cureton's grandmother, expressed her hope that the establishment will avoid repeating such a mistake.
"I didn't want him to have to have an alcoholic experience this way,” she said, reflecting on the unsettling episode.
