3 kids in Lucena rushed to hospital due to alleged spoiled ‘puto’

LUCENA CITY—Three young children including a one-year-old boy were hospitalized after eating alleged spoiled “leche puto,” police said.

Supt. Joel de Mesa, Lucena police chief, in his report said one Rodulfo Baron, a resident of Barangay Gulang-Gulang, reported to the station that his two children Ryselle Ann, 4, and Rhen Avien, 1, and their cousin Alyster Sanchez, 9, were rushed to a private hospital here on Wednesday evening after eating leche puto.

Quoting report by Baron, police said the father bought a box of leche puto, a sweet delicacy made of traditional fluffy puto (steamed rice cake) and creamy egg flan, at around 4:30 p.m. and brought it home for his family.

Shortly after eating the dessert, the victims complained of stomach pain and were rushed to Mount Carmel Diocesan General Hospital also in Lucena, Baron told police.

According to the victim’s father, there was no printed expiration date on the box of the leche puto that would indicate the expiration date of the product.

The victims were also sent home after receiving emergency treatment, according to the hospital information office.

The police report did not identify the leche puto maker.

Police are conducting further investigation.