A three-year-old girl in Singapore accidentally scalded her tongue after drinking from her insulated water bottle, which was mistakenly filled with boiling hot water by staff at McDonald’s Ridout Tea Garden outlet. Her parents had asked for cold water, but a miscommunication led to the bottle being filled with hot water instead.
Her father, Ridhuan Muhamad, shared the incident in a Facebook post on February 4, saying he wanted to remind other parents to be “extra careful”. He added, “Seeing her crying in pain and so frightened broke our heart.”
Immediate Response and Hospital Visit
When Ridhuan handed the bottle to his daughter, she began trembling and covered her mouth. It was only then that the family realized the water was hot. Videos shared by Ridhuan showed the girl sobbing and red-eyed, while Singapore Civil Defence Force officers attended to her. The family later went to the hospital, and while the girl could not eat or drink properly after the incident, she is now in a stable condition.
Parents Take Responsibility
Ridhuan admitted that they had made a mistake by not checking the bottle before letting their daughter drink. “A painful reminder for parents too — always double check drinks given to our little ones,” he wrote. His wife explained that at the time, they were managing both their daughters, and everything happened quickly. She said, “Our hands were full, and everything happened very quickly… Our minds were fogged, and we were simply trying to manage the situation.”
McDonald’s Response
A McDonald’s spokesperson told 8world that preliminary investigations indicated a miscommunication between staff and the customer. The company is in touch with the family and assisting. The spokesperson added, “The safety and well-being of the restaurants’ customers are a priority,” and said they are working with staff to improve processes, especially when handling requests for hot food and drinks.
