**Eight-Year-Old Suffers Serious Burns From Hot Chocolate at McDonald’s Drive-Thru**
A young girl from Cornwall is facing a lengthy recovery following a serious accident involving a hot chocolate purchased from a McDonald’s drive-through. Eight-year-old Lily Oldham received significant burns after the contents of the drink spilled onto her lap, requiring ongoing hospital treatment and forcing her family to reconsider their usual routines.
The incident occurred earlier this month when Lily and her mother, Levi Oldham, stopped at the McDonald’s branch in Pool to pick up drinks for their family. According to Levi, they were handed a tray with five hot chocolates without any verbal warning regarding the temperature of the beverages. Moments after being passed her drink, Lily accidentally spilled it on her legs, resulting in severe burns.
Immediately after the accident, Lily’s distress was clear. “She was screaming, and those screams will always stay with me,” Levi shared. The family rushed to the nearest A&E, where Lily received prompt treatment for her injuries. However, the burns were later determined to be more severe than initially suspected, prompting weekly visits to the trauma burns unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. Doctors have since placed Lily on antibiotics due to a developing infection, and she now faces a challenging recovery process involving frequent medical appointments and fresh dressings.
The medical ordeal has taken a toll on both Lily and her family. Aside from the physical discomfort, her mobility and daily activities have been greatly affected. Lily, once an energetic and active child, is now unable to play, walk, or even carry out ordinary hygiene routines without difficulty. Levi, who must travel from their home in Camborne to Plymouth for Lily’s care—a round trip of nearly three hours—has also been forced to take time off work, further compounding the disruption to their lives.
Levi describes the incident as deeply distressing. “Usually, we’d pick up hot chocolates to enjoy together, and they’ve never felt too hot to drink. But this time was different. I just handed Lily her usual drink, never imagining it could be dangerously hot,” she explained. She admitted to feeling a surge of guilt, but this has since given way to frustration over the alleged lack of adequate warning from staff about the risk.
Mentally, the impact on Lily has been profound. Levi notes that her daughter, previously a good eater, now waits anxiously for her food to cool before eating, hinting at a lingering anxiety connected to the accident. “She’s putting on a brave face,” Levi notes, “but it’s clear this has changed her.”
After reporting the incident to McDonald’s head office, Levi was offered a free drink from the Pool branch, but declined. She only realised the extent of Lily’s injuries after further medical examinations—discovering, to her alarm, that the burns were deep enough to raise concerns about toxic shock, a potentially life-threatening condition. “It was frightening. She just wanted a hot chocolate and ended up with hospital treatment and the risk of something much worse,” Levi said.
Responding to the incident, a McDonald’s spokesperson expressed sympathy, stating, “We’re very sorry to hear about this customer’s experience. Customer safety is of utmost importance to us, which is why we label our hot beverages with warnings about the contents’ temperature. Our customer services team is currently in contact with the family to assist with a resolution.”
This situation has sparked renewed attention around the safety of serving hot drinks to children in take-away settings. While McDonald’s maintains that clear warnings are provided both on cup lids and cups themselves, some parents argue that staff should provide verbal cautions, especially when handing drinks to young children.
As Lily and her family continue to focus on her recovery, the incident stands as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance when serving hot drinks—and for families to consider every precaution, even in familiar settings. For now, Levi is prioritising her daughter’s care and hoping that the psychological scars do not linger as long as the physical ones.