A woman in Oklahoma and her family have filed a lawsuit against a fast-food chain after a former manager allegedly spat into food during preparation, resulting in a customer contracting oral herpes.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Jennica Church claimed the incident happened in late March at an Arby’s drive-thru in Broken Bow after she ordered food for herself and her family following a long work shift.
The lawsuit alleges that the manager on duty, Amanda Hendricks, 38, who was known to Church, was responsible for preparing the order and deliberately spat onto meat or sandwich components during food preparation.
It further claims the manager was aware she had an active herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) outbreak at the time, with visible symptoms, and understood the risk of transmission through saliva.
Church said she later developed unusual mouth flare-ups and tested positive for HSV-1, which she believes was linked to the incident, as she had shared the meal with her husband and extended family.
The complaint also alleges that surveillance footage captured the act and that attempts were made by staff to downplay or conceal what occurred, including offering minimal compensation.
The family’s legal team argues that the incident caused severe emotional distress and long-term health consequences, particularly affecting close family interactions.
The case remains ongoing, with the family seeking damages for medical costs, physical suffering and emotional trauma.
