A third-grade teacher and mother of three, Holly Hill, has died, two years after a horrific incident in which she was served a cocktail containing industrial cleaner at an Oklahoma Mexican restaurant on Valentine’s Day 2023.
Hill, 30, was on a date with her husband at Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill in Elgin when she took a sip of a margarita and immediately said her mouth was “on fire,” according to her mother, Kelly Hunter.
“She immediately jumped up and ran to the bathroom, started throwing up, started rinsing her mouth out with water,” Hunter recalled.
Health Complications and Lawsuit
The laced cocktail caused a severe injury, leaving a hole in Hill’s esophagus. Her family states that she died last Thursday due to complications related to the horrifying incident.
For the past two and a half years, Hill faced a “long and difficult medical journey,” continuing to teach and care for her family, her obituary noted. Just days before her death, doctors found the hole in her esophagus had not yet healed, though it was less inflamed.
Hill had previously reached a confidential settlement with the restaurant after suing them over her ongoing health issues.
The restaurant had issued a social media statement in May 2023, saying:
We are very sorry for what happened and we feel deeply since the moment it occurred because during these 10 years we have never had a situation like this, a situation that should not have occurred in the first place.
The manager in charge at the time of the situation, Miguel Esparza , has always tried to constantly communicate with her and her family. We have never walked away from responsibility and will continue to support them in any way possible while our insurance company is on the case. We have always tried to give back to the community and will continue to do so.
We again want to apologize to her, her family, and the Elgin community. Our prayers continue for her and her family. The support you have given us over the years is greatly appreciated and we are here to assist you in any way we can. Thank you.”
State Investigation Initiated
Following Hill’s death, the Elgin Police Department and the Comanche County District Attorney have contacted the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI).
Acting Police Chief Ralph Parsons announced that state investigators “will initiate an initial inquiry into this matter and will be assisted by the Elgin Police Department.”
Holly Hill was a beloved third-grade teacher at Elgin Public Schools. Superintendent Nate Meraz called the news “unimaginable,” describing her as a “dedicated teacher, Elgin Alumni, and beloved mother and wife.”
A funeral service for the teacher was held Tuesday morning at the Elgin Schools Performing Arts Center.
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