A woman who attended a wedding in Florida is suing the event’s caterer, accusing her of serving guests food laced with “poisonous” levels of marijuana.
According to a lawsuit filed Monday, Virginia Ann Taylor-Svoboda said she suffered “severe, permanent injuries” after Joycelyn Bryant of Joycelyn’s Southern Kitchen Inc. reportedly allowed food to be infused with harmful levels of cannabis.
Taylor-Svoboda’s lawsuit argues she had no idea the wedding’s food contained marijuana, resulting in her suffering from “marijuana poisoning.” She is accusing Bryant of negligence, and her lawsuit seeks more than $30,000 in damages.
“(Bryant) knew, or should have known, that allowing the food served by (Joycelyn’s Southern Kitchen) to be laced with marijuana was reasonably likely to cause injuries and damages to wedding guests,” Taylor-Svoboda’s lawsuit states.
On Feb. 19, a wedding reception turned to chaos after Seminole County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived to find guest complaining of feeling “high.” One guest told deputies that he felt like he “had drugs inside him” after only consuming food and wine.
When authorities showed up, first responders were already treating several sick guests, and a few attendees were sent to a hospital.
A female guest reportedly told officials that the food was laced with marijuana. Another guest said that he was feeling “ill and high,” according to the report, and that he wanted to press charges against the people responsible for possibly lacing his food.
Samples of food served at the event were sent to a lab for testing. Lab results revealed lasagna and bread tested positive for THC, an active ingredient in marijuana.
Bryant was charged with violating the Florida Anti-Tampering Act, delivery of marijuana and culpable negligence in April, according to the report from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.The bride also faces several charges including tampering with food and delivering marijuana.
The wedding took place on Feb. 19, 2022, at The Springs Clubhouse in Longwood, Florida. Seminole County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the venue after some wedding guests began to complain of stomach pains and vomiting. Some guests were taken to the hospital, officials said.
Video from a deputy’s body-worn camera showed a deputy ask the bride and groom if they authorized the catering company to put cannabis in the wedding food. One person responds “no, sir,” while a woman appears to stare and does not respond.
The bride, later identified as Danya Glenny, and the catering manager, Bryant, were both arrested and booked into jail on several charges, including tampering with food and delivering marijuana.
