“We are cooperating with health authorities and have corrected our procedures to ensure this does not happen again,” the restaurant wrote in a notice taped to its front door
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NEED TO KNOW
- Roadkill of a deer was found in the freezer of a Chinese restaurant in Louisiana
- The establishment’s owners claim it was never meant to be served to diners
- “We are cooperating with health authorities and have corrected our procedures to ensure this does not happen again,” China Queen wrote in a notice taped to its front door
Roadkill was found in the freezer of a Chinese restaurant in Louisiana, but the establishment's owners claim it was never meant to be served to diners.
A since-deleted Facebook post on Wednesday, April 22, accused Pineville restaurant China Queen of skinning a dead animal behind the restaurant, and the post reportedly included a photo of the act, according to KALB, Fox 19 and WKRG.
After the Pineville Police Department (PPD) received complaints related to the Facebook post, officers were dispatched to the establishment. There, they found a deer carcass stored in a freezer alongside other food, a spokesperson for the PPD told PEOPLE in a statement.
"The individual stated he located the deer along a roadside at approximately 10:00 a.m. that morning and believed it to be roadkill from a vehicle strike the previous night. He further stated the meat was intended for use in soup, however, officers on scene were unable to determine whether the meat was intended for personal consumption or for service to restaurant patrons," authorities said.
Credit: KALB 5
"While the consumption of deer is common in Louisiana, state law prohibits the possession of roadkill without prior authorization from law enforcement. Additionally, improper handling and storage of wild game can pose serious public health risks due to rapid bacterial growth," the PPD spokesperson added.
The Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have both launched investigations into the situation.
"The Pineville Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety of our citizens and visitors. We will continue to assist both agencies as needed throughout the course of their investigations," said the PPD spokesperson.
The Chinese restaurant later posted a “notice” on its door apologizing for the recent incident tied to the roadkill.
“The item involved was never intended to be served to customers, but it was improperly stored,” the handwritten note from China Queen read, as seen in a photo obtained by KALB.
“It has been fully cleaned and sanitized. We are cooperating with health authorities and have corrected our procedures to ensure this does not happen again. Thank you for your understanding," the restaurant owners continued.
China Queen did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, April 25.
According to Louisiana law, the collection or harvesting of roadkill is illegal without prior permission from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
“Illegal possession of a deer, which would be possession of roadkill, essentially, is a class four violation in Louisiana,” Bradley Breland, a permits coordinator for the LDWF, explained to KALB.
He added: “Class four violations can have a fine from $400 to $950 [and] up to 120 days in prison, or both.”
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In addition to the recent deer incident, an April 1 inspection with the Louisiana Department of Health found that China Queen had a number of “critical” violations.
However, any were corrected by an April 8 follow-up inspection.
Some of the violations included having equipment or utensils that were not constructed of approved materials, storing chemicals above food or equipment and employees drinking in a food preparation area or other area with food equipment that requires protection.
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