A 15-year-old Colorado teen, Kamberlyn Bowler, is fighting for her life after developing severe complications of food poisoning linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. The high school freshman from Grand Junction had to be airlifted to a Denver-area hospital in mid-October, where she received 10 days of dialysis to address acute kidney failure. Kamberlyn is one of at least 75 people affected by a deadly E. coli outbreak believed to be caused by contaminated slivered onions used in the burgers, which has sickened dozens and claimed one life in Mesa County alone.
Kamberlyn’s mother, Brittany Randall, is devastated by the ordeal, explaining how her daughter ate the Quarter Pounders three times between late September and early October, unknowingly consuming the E. coli O157 bacteria, which can lead to a severe and life-threatening condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome. After experiencing vomiting, bloody stool, and extreme fatigue, Kamberlyn’s condition worsened, ultimately leading to her hospitalization. Randall, a single mother, is now contemplating legal action against McDonald’s as she faces mounting medical bills and uncertainty about her daughter’s future health.
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski has publicly apologized for the outbreak, stating that customer safety is a top priority. However, for families like Kamberlyn’s, the damage has already been done, with the road to recovery expected to be long and uncertain.
