DALLAS — Warning: This story contains graphic images that some may find disturbing.
The two women scalded with hot water by a north Dallas Taco Bell employee are out of the hospital. But their attorneys are talking for the first time about the extensive injuries and the lawsuit they have filed against Taco Bell Corporation and the, so far, unnamed Taco Bell employees.
"This is not just some hot water. It burned them very badly," said attorney Paul Grinke who represents Brittany Davis, Kira Davis and a 16-year-old identified in the lawsuit only as "C.T."
Grinke, speaking for the women, detailed to WFAA what they believe happened the night of June 17 at the Taco Bell at 11829 Abrams Road in Dallas. He says the women, with Kira Davis driving, went to the drive-thru and placed an order worth approximately $31. On the restaurant's own surveillance video, with a total of 12 camera angles, you can see the women drive away but return to the drive-thru a few minutes later.
It was a Sunday night after 11 p.m. and the dining room was not open. On video you can see, but not hear, the women and the employees discussing the problem they had with their order for a full seven minutes. The women drive away again and then drive around to the dining room door. Taco Bell employees unlock the door and let them in.
"Most of the time what you see is C.T. and Brittany standing peacefully and calmly at the counter," Grinke said.
But two and a half minutes later, as an apparent argument begins about the order, the women step forward into the kitchen.
"At some point a male Taco Bell employee started threatening her to a fight," Grinke said. "She's a 16-year-old girl. She's got a tough heart. She wasn't going to back down."
Which is when another employee can be seen dipping a pitcher into a sink of boiling water in the kitchen, walking toward the women and then dumping it on them. The 16-year-old falls to the floor. Then both women run for the door with employees following them. As they do, the same employee who doused them the first time can be seen filling up the pitcher again and then joining the employees who follow the women out.
In their lawsuit, the women claim that a Taco Bell employee "came outside the front door, laughing, clapping, and taunting the family."
Kira Davis, who was waiting for the women in the parking, drove them immediately to an emergency room where they say the 16-year-old "ran naked into the emergency room to get help."
And that Brittany who has a history of seizures, suffered at least 10 seizures and had to to be "sedated, intubated, and care-flighted to Parkland's ICU burn unit in Dallas." The 16-year-old was taken by ambulance to Parkland, as well.
Photos shared with WFAA show the women suffered severe burns: the 16-year-old with bubbling skin that extends from her shoulder all the way down to her left thigh, Brittany with deep burns to her chest and stomach.
In their lawsuit, the attorneys for the women also question what appears to be one of the employees pulling a handgun from his pants during the incident. Surveillance video also shows him handing the apparent weapon to another employee as the women fled.
"It's beyond comprehension to me that any employee inside of a Taco Bell store would be armed," Grinke said. He also said the two women did not have a weapon of any kind.
Taco Bell of America LLC has offered WFAA the following statement in response:
“We take the safety and wellbeing of team members and customers seriously. Taco Bell is in contact with the franchise owner and operator of this restaurant on this matter and cannot comment on specifics of pending litigation.”
"Hopefully Taco Bell will do the right thing here. If they don't, then we are prepared to go the distance," Grinke said.
Dallas police, who can also be seen on video responding to the Taco Bell approximately 10 minutes after the incident, confirm to WFAA that they are investigating potential charges of assault and aggravated assault by the Taco Bell employee.
Dallas police telling WFAA that "this remains an ongoing investigation with no arrest at this time."