To her horror, she claims, she saw whiskers and a tiny snout, among other features not typically found in spinach ravioli.
Medina, who was eight months pregnant at the time, says it didn't take long for her to realize that the Kirkland-brand ravioli "contained the head of a mouse or a similar rodent." She says she suffered from gastrointestinal illness and was psychologically scarred by the experience.
Medina's allegations over the 2023 incident are laid out in a lawsuit she recently filed against retail giant Costco and Rana Meal Solutions in Florida court. The complaint demands damages for negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty.
Layla Medina showed a Univision reporter a disembodied, decomposing rodent head that she claims was lodged in pasta bought from Costco.
Univision screenshot via Facebook
The ravioli "had been manufactured, packaged, and processed" for Costco by Rana and was sold under Costco's in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, the lawsuit says. Rana is a popular pre-made meal company whose products can be found in supermarkets nationwide.
Neither Costco nor Rana have responded to New Times' request for comment.
The lawsuit (attached below) alleges that after the unsettling discovery, Medina became nauseous and "began to experience horrible vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping."
"Made sick by swallowing part of a decomposing rodent's head, Ms. Medina at the same time became severely distressed about the effect that her consumption of this adulterated food was having on her unborn baby, as she was thirty-five weeks pregnant at the time," the lawsuit claims.
Medina is represented by attorney David Singer, whose firm is based out of Hollywood, Florida. Singer tells New Times Rana's insurer denied his client's claim over the incident.
Medina's husband, fellow dentist Roberto Baez Allup, is also listed as a plaintiff in the case. According to their professional profiles, they run a family dental practice based in Bogota, Colombia.
