Video shows rodent feces falling from ceiling at mall food court
LOS ANGELES -- A California woman says she is "shocked and disgusted" after recording cellphone video of rodent feces that fell from the ceiling of a food court at the Westfield Culver City mall over the weekend, according to KTLA.
Meeyoung Choi said she recorded the video on Saturday when she and her mother were dining in the mall's food court.
After feeling something hit her, Choi at first thought children sitting nearby were throwing food; then, she and her mother realized it was something else.
“These two little, small dots landed on my mom’s cup, and instantly she noticed it was rodents' fecal matter," Choi told KTLA in an interview Monday. "And we were just so shocked and disgusted. Right after that, it just kept falling.”
Stunned, Choi said she immediately notified mall security. She was surprised by their slow response in assisting her, even after she pointed out cracks in the court ceiling that appeared to be moving -- possibly indicating something active on the other side, she said.
Choi admitted she never physically saw any rodents in the food court, but she told KTLA she is positive the small object that fell in her partially eaten meal was fecal matter.
She said a mall supervisor called her Monday morning to offer a $25 gift card for her inconvenience. Choi stated, however, that she is not looking for any financial compensation, except reimbursements for medical bills she and her mother incurred after being checked by doctors following the incident.
In a statement, a mall spokesperson confirmed to KTLA they are looking into the matter.
“We are currently investigating this customer’s complaint internally and have been in contact with the customer. We take sanitary issues very seriously and are still very surprised about this claim," the statement read.
The spokesperson wouldn't comment further on the case, or whether health inspectors were involved.
The food court remains open.
“Any person in their right mind would not go back to that court for a very long time," Choi said.