Mom, 23, Who Was 'Too Trusting' of Strangers, Recovering After Her Drink Was Spiked During Night Out to Celebrate the New Year

Mar. 15, 2025

The Silver Dollar bar in Cody, Wyo.Photo:Google maps

Google maps

A Wyoming woman is recovering after her drink was spiked with what doctors believe was antifreeze during a New Year’s Eve celebration.

On Wednesday, Jan. 8, Kailey Kline was released from a hospital in Montana after she spent six days recovering from consuming a spiked drink at a bar in Cody on Dec. 31.

“She rarely goes out, but had decided to celebrate with friends for New Year’s. Doctors believe antifreeze was placed in her drink NYE,” Kline’s mother, Amber Espinoza, wrote in aGoFundMepost that has since been established for her daughter. “She began having seizures, couldn’t move, and couldn’t support her own airway.”

A stock image of a spiked drink.Getty

Getty

Cowboy Statereported that while medical professionals who treated Kline wouldn’t be able to tell exactly what she had been poisoned with, because of how much time had passed when they drew a blood sample, antifreeze was being considered the “most likely” cause.

Espinoza, a nurse, added toCowboy Statethat doctors told her and Kline that antifreeze has a sweet taste that makes it hard to detect in drinks.

“If she was already drinking sweet drinks or fruity drinks she wouldn’t have tasted it,” her mother said.

Kline is currently recovering at home with her fiancé and two children, her mother wrote on the GoFundMe page. Espinoza added toCowboy Statethat while Kline is still experiencing some weakness, she is able to walk and hasn’t suffered any permanent organ damage.

Cody police told both outlets that they are still investigating the incident. The department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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Espinoza is still fundraising for living and medical expenses on behalf of Kline, her fiancé and their kids, she wrote on GoFundMe. As of Sunday, Jan. 12, the fundraiser had received over $12,000 of its $15,000 goal.

Police Lt. Juston Wead toldCowboy Statethat the department did not receive any other reports of drinks being spiked at the bar on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s important to make sure you are aware of your drink because those types of things can happen,” Wead said. “Don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know, don’t leave your drink unattended.”

Espinoza added toCowboy Statethat Kline was “probably too trusting” when she accepted the drink, but said she doesn’t blame the bar for what happened.

“Without knowing who actually did it, it’s hard to place blame on a business. They can’t be 100% responsible for their patrons all the time,” she said. “A lot of people want to be nice and buy you drinks, but if you don’t know them, don’t drink it.”

source: people.com