Woman 'poisoned co-workers with window cleaner in office coffee maker'

'Disgruntled' cleaner arrested after several of her colleagues fell ill soon after drinking from machine

Benjamin Kentish
Sunday 23 October 2016 16:24 BST
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Workers began to collect evidence against Ms Rivera-Juarez after several of them fell ill
Workers began to collect evidence against Ms Rivera-Juarez after several of them fell ill

A woman has been charged with assault after allegedly poisoning her colleagues by pouring window cleaner into the office coffee maker.

Mayda Rivera-Juarez, 32, was arrested in Sterling, Virginia, after several of her co-workers fell ill after drinking the toxic coffee, according to NBC Washington.

Colleagues at Jas Forwarding Worldwide, a freight company, claim they suffered severe digestive problems and diarrhoea. They reported their suspicions to police after gathering evidence against their former colleague, who they said was disgruntled and had fallen out with several of them.

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said the former cleaner allegedly replaced the water in the coffee maker with window and kitchen cleaner over several weeks. While the motive for the poisoning remains unclear, it is understood the cleaner no longer works for the company, which has around eight employees.

Mr Rivera-Juarez is being held in custody.

She is not the first person to be charged with poisoning colleagues using cleaning products. Earlier this year Melissa Swift was sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting poisoning co-workers at Goldfield Court care home in West Bromwich, near Birmingham.

The 25-year-old poured bleach into staff members' drinks bottles, resulting in several of them falling ill.

And earlier in the year a New York woman was accused of fatally poisoning her boss.

Kaitlyn Conley, 23, was charged with the murder of 60-year-old Mary Yoder, who employed her at a chiropractor’s office in New York state.

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