Taco Bell employee arrested after throwing boiling water at co-worker
Memphis Police Department responded to an armed person call at the establishment shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday
A 19-year-old Taco Bell employee in Tennessee was arrested on Sunday after she allegedly threw boiling water at a co-worker inside a Memphis restaurant.
Officers from the Memphis Police Department responded to an armed person call at the establishment shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday. PEOPLE reported that law enforcement personnel were informed upon arrival that a male employee had already been transported to a burn centre. Officers subsequently spoke with the victim at the hospital, where he alleged that Malayla Henderson had thrown a pot of boiling water onto his lap. Medical staff advised officers that the victim sustained second-degree burns following the alleged assault.
Police stated that the male employee was not scheduled to work that day and was visiting the business while Henderson was on shift. Law enforcement officials reviewed security video footage that showed Henderson throwing the pot of hot liquid at the off-duty worker. Investigations revealed that the duo had been engaged in playful banter before the incident occurred. The victim claimed that Henderson playfully snatched a second shirt he was carrying, prompting him to grab an iPad she had left near a cash register and place it near a trash can inside the building.
Henderson allegedly became upset, warned the victim she would burn him with hot water, and then retrieved a pot of boiling water from the kitchen. She then threw the liquid at the male employee as he sat in the restaurant lobby. Speaking to news outlet WMC, Henderson alleged the man had been at the restaurant since early morning, was making inappropriate comments, and entered her personal space. She admitted to blanking out and pouring the water after he refused repeated requests to return her iPad.
According to Shelby County Criminal Justice System records, police arrested Henderson on an aggravated assault charge. Henderson was released from jail on Wednesday, July 22, after posting a $5,000 bond, and her next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 27.
