A viral Facebook post has tossed Pineville’s China Queen buffet into the spotlight, after a social media user accused staff of skinning and stashing a dead animal on the property. The restaurant has since posted an apology on its front door, while Pineville police and state agencies say they are actively investigating what happened. The notice at the entrance insists the item was never meant for customers and says the area was cleaned, but the episode has quickly turned into a local talking point as health and wildlife officials dig in.
Pineville police say officers were dispatched to the 2900 block of Cottingham Expressway in response to the online complaint and found what investigators believe was a deer carcass stored in a freezer with other food, according to KALB. The Facebook post, which circulated on April 22, featured photos that spread quickly before being taken down. After the discovery, police contacted state agencies to sort out both wildlife and public health questions tied to the alleged freezer find.
State wildlife and health teams respond
According to the Pineville Police Department, officers reached out to the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and both agencies went to the scene and launched their own investigations, KPLC reported. Officials have told reporters that any questions about possible wildlife violations or health code issues now sit squarely with those state offices. For now, news outlets report that the case remains open as state teams review what was found and what, if anything, was done wrong.
In the middle of the uproar, China Queen taped an apology to its front door. In the sign, the restaurant wrote that “The item involved was never intended to be served to customers,” and said it had been stored improperly before the area was cleaned and sanitized, according to KPLC. The notice also says the business is cooperating with health officials and has adjusted its procedures in an effort to prevent anything similar from happening again. The original Facebook post that touched off the investigation is no longer publicly visible.
What state regulators could do next
If investigators confirm violations, state regulations give the Louisiana Department of Health the authority to issue compliance orders, levy penalties and, in more serious cases, revoke permits for retail food businesses, according to a state audit of the Retail Food Program from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor. On the wildlife side, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducts disease surveillance and routinely collects samples from road-killed deer as part of its monitoring efforts, according to its annual reports. LDWF
Pineville police say the investigation is still underway and that no criminal charges have been filed at this time, according to KALB. Other regional outlets have picked up the story and aired clips from the scene, with WSMV running a segment that recaps the coverage. Authorities are asking anyone who has firsthand information or video tied to the incident to contact Pineville police as they continue coordinating with state health and wildlife officials.
