According to a Press Release sent out Friday, April 1, 2022, the Food Poisoning Law Firm of Ron Simon & Associates has been retained by many of the victims of the salmonella food poisoning outbreak linked to the enchilada fund-raiser at a Catholic church in Amarillo, Texas. The Diocese of Amarillo and Saint Joseph’s have contacted their carrier to handle food poisoning claims. According to many of the victims’ lawyer, Ron Simon,
“Every indication is, at present, that the Diocese and church are cooperating with the investigation. It will be some time before we understand how the enchilada dinners were contaminated. At least one of the victims told us they believe it was the beans purchased by the Church, but that has to be seen as we move forward. Due to the size of the Amarillo, which is a tight-knit community, and the fact that a Church event is at the center of the outbreak, at present we have not filed a salmonella lawsuit against St. Joseph’s. If possible, we will settle these claims without filing a salmonella lawsuit, but that depends on how things play out over the next few weeks and months. At present, at least one of the victims remains hospitalized in the ICU. So far, the youngest victim we are aware of is just 18 months old, while at least one of the older ones is a Veteran.”
The events unfolded at the March 27th fundraiser – one that was well received in the neighborhood. Word had been spread about the fundraiser, and families and individuals could pre-purchase tickets to the event, then come by though a drive-through line and present their tickets and pick up their enchilada dinners. It is uncertain how many enchilada dinners were distributed, or how many patrons purchased the meals. The fundraiser was open to parishioners and non-parishioners alike. The victims included church members, their family members, and non-church members who simply lived in Amarillo.
The City of Amarillo’s health department has announced they are investigating, but have not yet publicly indicated how many suspected victims there are. Victims are known to have arrived in area hospitals, including the Northwest Texas Healthcare System and the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center.
