An Oklahoma mother has died two years after drinking a margarita cocktail containing industrial cleaner whilst on a date with her husband.
In February 2023, 30-year-old Holly Hill headed to Mexican restaurant Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill in Elgin, Illinois, to celebrate Valentine’s Day with her spouse of seven years, Brandon Hill.
The teacher’s mum, Kelly Hunter, told News 9 that the second margarita her daughter ordered arrived at the table containing industrial cleaning solution.
“Her mouth was on fire, and she knew something wasn’t right,” Hunter said.
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“She immediately jumped up and ran to the bathroom, started throwing up, started rinsing her mouth out with water.”
After the date at the Oklahoma eatery, the mum-of-three’s life was forever punctuated with trips to the emergency room.
It was in medical care that she learned the poisonous fluid had burned a hole in her oesophagus.
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In a Facebook post, shared on 1 October 2024, she wrote that she’d successfully undergone her 30th procedure on the hollow tube located behind her windpipe.
“To say it’s changed my life is an understatement. I continue to pray and believe in my doctor to lead the way through this never-ending journey I now call life.”
Prior to her death, the woman reached a confidential settlement with the restaurant after successfully suing them for her ongoing health complications related to the sustained chemical burns.
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On her most recent visit to the hospital (17 October), Hill was informed that the hole seemed to be healing and that it was ‘a bit better and not as inflamed’.
“They were able to call in a pulmonologist to assist in stitching it up,” Hunter claimed in a social media post.
“She will have to continue tube feeds for a while longer. She will have to come back in a few weeks for a swallow study with contrast to check on progress. Not exactly the news we wanted but overall good news.”
Sadly, however, Hill passed away last Thursday (23 October). Elgin Police Department confirmed a day later that it was working with the Comanche County District Attorney on an investigation and that it had contacted the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation on Friday.
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In a Facebook update, Chief Ralph Parsons wrote that the OSBI will ‘initiate an initial inquiry into this matter and will be assisted by the Elgin Police Department'.
“Holly's family has been notified, and we ask the community to be patient and respectful to the family."
Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill publicly commented on the situation back in May 2023, writing in part: "We are very sorry for what happened and we feel deeply since the moment it occurred because during these 10 years we have never had a situation like this, a situation that should not have occurred in the first place."
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"We have never walked away from responsibility and will continue to support them in any way possible while our insurance company is on the case. We have always tried to give back to the community and will continue to do so.
"We again want to apologize to her, her family, and the Elgin community."
A GoFundMe for the devoted woman’s family has been set up.
She leaves behind her husband, and three children aged six, 11, and 14, her family and countless friends, according to the page.
Ella Scott