Woman Fights For Her Life After Eating Gas Station Nacho Cheese

Lavinia Kelly, a California mom of three, was driving home from work when she decided to stop for an indulgent snack at a gas station. Little did she know that the nacho cheese she drizzled on top of her Doritos would nearly cost her her life. 

After eating the cheese sauce on April 21, she immediately felt tired. The next day, she felt unsteady walking and had double vision. Her partner rushed her to the hospital. Since then, she has been bed-ridden in the ICU at the Sutter Health Center, unable to speak or breathe properly.

Kelly had contracted botulism, an extremely rare form of serious, bacterial food poisoning that is curable but can be fatal. She is one of at least five people who contracted the serious illness from the nacho cheese purchased at the Valley Oak Food and Fuel in Walnut Grove. All five patients remain hospitalized, according to the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services.

"She's been doing good, and we just don't understand why this happened over a bag of chips and nacho cheese. Really? How does that happen?" Kelly's partner Ricky Torres told The Sacramento Bee. "(The gas station) should have been more aware. They're handling that stuff every day. I know they probably didn't make the cheese per se, but they handle that stuff in the store."

Botulism was also the cause of one of the 15 Most Infamous Food Scares in history.