STOCKTON, CA (KTXL/CNN) – A mother says she’ll never return to Chuck E. Cheese’s after she says her kids found a decomposing mouse inside a California play structure.
Shay Aguilar says it was a very unhappy birthday for her 2-year-old daughter when the family visited the Stockton, CA, location Aug. 20.
The mother says her toddler and 11-year-old son came face-to-face with a dead rodent in one of the restaurant’s play areas.
“My son and his sister, the birthday girl, were in the play structure, and they came upon a decomposing mouse,” Aguilar said.
The restaurant’s manager denies the rat Aguilar says her children found was a rat but instead was a wadded-up piece of parchment paper.
“My son goes, ‘Mom, I know what napkins look like, and napkins do not have ears, tails, and feet,’” Aguilar said.
Aguilar says they paid more than $700 to celebrate her daughter’s birthday, but instead of enjoying their time, the mother claims their hostess was late, their food order was wrong and the staff was unprofessional.
The mother posted about her experience on Facebook, in which another mother shared video of grimy conditions inside the play structure.
Aguilar sent letters and emails to the owners of Chuck E. Cheese’s and did ultimately receive an apology and a refund.
The mother says she’s happy she’s getting her money back, but she stresses she’ll never return to the restaurant.
“I'm just not interested in experiencing that again. I'm done with Chuck E. Cheese, for that matter,” Aguilar said.
The San Joaquin Environmental Health Department says they will investigate Aguilar’s claim. Another complaint last month accused the location of having unsanitary bathrooms, but an inspector said they were clean during a visit.
Copyright 2017 KTXL, Shay Aguilar, Ivanna Joyce via CNN. All rights reserved.
