Ontario mother 'completely shocked' by unwanted find in McDonald's McNugget
An Ontario woman is calling on McDonald's to do more to warn its customers after she says her eight-year-old daughter nearly swallowed a bone found inside a chicken McNugget.
Cathy Gennaro, 40, decided to treat two daughters, two and eight years old, to a snack after school on Saturday, she told CTV News Toronto.
“McNuggets are their favorite snack,” Gennaro said.
After ordering food through the drive-thru at a Brampton location, Gennaro said her family went home and began to eat.
“Then, the next thing you know, I hear, ‘Oh, my God, what's this?’ And [my daughter] spits out her food,” she said.
- READ MORE: McDonald's found liable for hot Chicken McNugget that fell from Happy Meal and burned girl
In her hand was a small chicken bone, about the size of a quarter, Gennaro said.
“I was completely shocked,” she said. “In 40 years, that's never happened.”
Cathy Gennaro's eight-year-old daughter holds the bone she says she found in her McNugget. (Handout)
When reached for comment, Tim OConnor, franchisee of the McDonald’s location, told CTV News Toronto that the safety and well-being of employees and guests is his priority.
“I take pride in serving my guests using the best and safest ingredients,” OConnor said in the statement. “We are actively investigating and will take the appropriate next steps.”
OConnor said his team is working directly with Gennaro to address her concerns.
The bone Gennaro says was in her daughter's chicken nugget is measured at just over 1.5 cm. (Handout)
After the incident, Gennaro took to social media to air her complaints – a move she credits as the reason McDonald’s was quick to get in touch with her.
Upon becoming aware of her post, McDonald's requested Gennaro send the bone to them for further investigation, she said. They also offered her a refund.
“I hope to be kept updated on the investigation into this serious near-miss and the actions taken to rectify or prevent something like this from happening again to consumers,” Gennaro said.
“Perhaps there should be a warning label or a warning on McDonald's website that chicken bones may be found in McNuggets – it's pretty disturbing and disgusting.”
Ultimately, Gennaro said she chose to share her story as a tool to raise awareness.
“God forbid it wasn’t my two-year-old, right? It was pretty jagged and sharp, and it's a long piece, so something like that could easily get lodged into a small child's throat,” she said.
“I think action should be taken before something tragic happens.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.