Teen Served Blood-Covered Salad At Waukesha Panera Bread

WAUKESHA, WI — A Waukesha teen experienced a nightmare situation last week when she says she ordered a salad at Panera Bread only to find that it wasn't covered in salad dressing.

It was covered in blood, she said.

"My sister told me, 'Oh my God, I think that's blood,'" Sarah Wehse said in a WISN-TV report. Wehse reportedly ordered a Fuji Apple Salad with chicken that day. "I turned the bowl around and there's already blood pooling on the plate, it's on the side of the bowl. I don't know how the server didn't see it when she was giving it to us."

According to the report, Weshe told Panera staff about the situation and that an employee tried convincing her that the salad actually had dressing on it. Weshe said Panera staff figured out that an employee accidentally was cut with a knife and didn't notice during the salad prep. When they gave her a new salad, it also had blood on it, she said.

Now the Waukesha County Public Health Department is investigating the incident.

People Magazine, of all publications, investigated the incident as well and spoke with Panera Bread officials about it.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Panera Bread said: “We strive to create a safe and healthy experience for our guests, but this incident fell far short of that. It’s an unacceptable occurrence and we take full responsibility. We’re working with the café to ensure something like this never happens again.”