MD Eatery Stays Open, Serves Food After Woman's Body Found In Bathroom

LARGO, MD — A Prince George's County restaurant stayed open and continued serving customers last week after a woman died in the restroom and her body remained there for several hours, according to reports.

The incident happened last week at Jasper's Restaurant, located at 9640 Lottsford Ct. in Largo, according to an NBC News report. The woman and her family were at the restaurant to plan a reunion, owner Fred Rosenthal told NBC News.

"She went to the women's room and when members of the family got up to leave and she hadn't come back, they went to check on her," Rosenthal told NBC News. "Someone found her unconscious, notified our employees and we jumped into the scene and called 911. Police arrived within minutes."

First responders were called to Jasper's just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, The Washington Post reported. Efforts to revive the woman were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead just before 6:40 p.m. No foul play was suspected, police told the Post.

Authorities did not identify the woman; however, her husband spoke to Washington, D.C.'s Fox 5.

"That was my soul mate, my life partner, my best friend, my lover," Craig Winn said of his wife, Verna.

Winn told Fox 5 that after Verna died, police told him he would have to wait for a coroner to pick up her body. Winn said they waited almost three hours while the restaurant continued seating and serving customers.

According to NBC News, Jasper's staff put up a curtain barrier around the women's restroom and converted the men's restroom into a unisex facility.

Rosenthal told the Post the restaurant manager did not want to cause panic or spark rumors, which is why the restaurant continued to serve customers.

"We’ve never had anything like this happen before," Rosenthal told the Post. "Hindsight is 20/20"

The day after the woman's death, Jasper's management posted a statement to their website apologizing to customers:

"Last night, one of our customers tragically passed away within our establishment. On behalf of our ownership, management, and staff we send the sincerest and most heartfelt support and condolences to the deceased’s family," the statement said. "We will be reaching out to the family to see if there is any way we can support them in this time of grief.

"We immediately contacted county authorities and followed their protocol and procedure. Under the authorities’ guidance, we closed the area to patrons until all emergency services could arrive and followed the direction of the authorities," the statement continued.

The decision still caused a stir on social media as many patrons voiced their disapproval of the restaurant remaining open.

"Should have immediately closed out of respect," one person wrote on Facebook.

"Insensitivity at its finest," another wrote.

Manager Miguel Perea said the restaurant was trying to protect the family's privacy.

"It's not something that we are accustomed to," Perea told Fox 5. "At the moment, we thought we were doing the right thing, and we realized maybe we were wrong."

Meanwhile, Craig Winn urged others not to vilify the restaurant, according to Fox 5.

"Don't indict the restaurant," Winn said. "I don't think the restaurant could improvise on how to deal with a situation like that."