A shopkeeper allegedly sold homemade hand sanitiser that burned four children amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Manisha Bharade, 47, has been issued a summons for charges of endangering the welfare of children and deceptive business practices, according to authorities.
Reports suggest she mixed a foaming hand sanitiser, which was not intended for resale, with water and then re-packaged the mixture to sell in the 7-Eleven store in New Jersey.
New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said. “Let me be perfectly clear: If you try to take advantage of our residents during a public health emergency, we will hold you accountable.
“Retailers who try to make a quick buck by exploiting others will face civil and criminal consequences.”
-
Coronavirus: Brits with even 'mild cough' told to immediately self-isolate
-
Boris Johnson warns coronavirus will kill loved ones as outbreak gets worse
According to Grewal and Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, the mixture resulted in burning three 10-year-old boys and one 11-year-old.
The Daily Voice reported that police do not believe she intentionally tried to hurt anyone.
A law enforcement official who spoke to the outlet said: “She wasn’t trying to make a lot of money and obviously didn’t mean to hurt anybody, but she’s no chemist.”
Daily Star Online has approached 7-Eleven for comment.
The coronavirus panic has caused shortages of hand sanitisers all over the world, with pharmacy and supermarket shelves running empty.
-
Coronavirus: Kim Jong-un 'flees North Korean capital' in bid to escape disease
-
Coronavirus: Couple married for 60 years killed just hours apart by disease
Others looking to capitalise on the shortage have even put bottles of Carex up on eBay and Amazon, with one 250ml bottle of Mr Men Sherbet Lemon Handwash going for £199.99.
One cheeky boy went viral on social media after his mum wrote he had been "caught charging students 50p a squirt for hand sanitiser to protect themselves from the bl****y coronavirus!!"
One of the key pieces of advice to stop the spread of COVID-19 from the NHS is “wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds or whenever you get home or into work, blow your nose, sneeze or cough and eat or handle food”.
Source: Read Full Article