Kaylie Santos, 22, a former Southbridge McDonald’s night manager, faces criminal charges after newly available court records describe surveillance footage from April 9 showing her allegedly spitting into a fry carton, stuffing fries into her mouth, and then ha
A viral video that thrust a Massachusetts McDonald’s into the national spotlight is now tied to new court filings that describe how an employee allegedly handled fries before serving them to a former partner.
Kaylie Santos. 22. has been charged with distributing food with a harmful substance after surveillance footage and an account of the transaction were placed in Southbridge police reports filed in court.. The brief video had been apparently posted on a private Snapchat story and drew widespread attention last week.
Police say the McDonald’s surveillance video from April 9 showed Santos. then a night manager. apparently spitting into a french fry carton and shoving fries into her mouth before filling the container and handing it off to a drive-thru customer.. In the court record, officers said they tracked down the driver using the license plate tied to the transaction.
The report says the woman and Santos had dated for about two years before breaking up in late 2024.. The customer allegedly told police that Santos had been harassing her and her new partner.. She also told officers that she ordered only sodas on April 9, but that she received fries as well.. Police wrote that she first saw the Snapchat video after she had already accepted the fries and eaten them.
As a manager. Santos was “held to a higher standard as she was expected to lead the shift operations by ensuring high quality food. friendly service and overall cleanliness of not only of the restaurant but of the food being served as well. ” the Southbridge police report stated.. The filing said Santos failed “to adhere to the safe handling and cleanliness of the food provided to all customers including [the alleged victim].” Police also described the incident as targeted. adding. “At this point. it does not appear any other customers were affected with Santos’ actions.”
After the viral footage circulated. the Spadea and Balducci families. who operate the Southbridge franchise. previously told Boston.com that the individuals involved in the incident had parted ways with McDonald’s following an internal investigation.. The court documents also say the owners filed a no-trespass order against Santos.
The picture that emerges from the filings is a chain built on timing and identification: the April 9 surveillance footage places Santos handling fries in a specific way. police used the license plate to locate the drive-thru customer. and the customer’s account ties the breakup in late 2024 to an alleged harassment pattern and to her claim that she only ordered sodas but received fries that she later found were the subject of the Snapchat video.
Santos is scheduled for arraignment June 5, according to online court records. It was not immediately clear whether she had an attorney to speak on her behalf.
Southbridge Massachusetts McDonald's Kaylie Santos food contamination charge Snapchat video surveillance video drive-thru fries harmful substance arraignment June 5