BROKEN BOW, Okla. — Amanda Hendricks, a former Arby's manager in McCurtain County, is speaking out after a felony charge and a lawsuit claim she spit in a customer's food and transmitted herpes.
Hendricks bonded out of jail and spoke exclusively to 2 News Oklahoma.
Broken Bow police say they pulled surveillance footage and saw Hendricks spit in a customer's food while working the drive-thru at Arby's. Jennica Church and her family filed a lawsuit claiming Church contracted herpes from the saliva, resulting in extreme anxiety and emotional distress.
Church previously spoke to 2 News Oklahoma about the impact on her life.
"I can't 'kiss my daughter's face off' anymore. That was my thing. It's sad," Church said.
The case went viral.
Now, Hendricks wants to share her side. Both women admit they know each other, but neither will detail any past dispute. Hendricks says she knew it was Church in the drive-thru when the incident occurred.
When asked directly whether she spit in Church's food, Hendricks did not deny it.
"OK, accountability. Me, wanting to grow. Yes, I did. Low, low; it was disgusting," Hendricks said.
Hendricks also addressed what she wants the public to know.
"That it was a mistake. It's the way I conducted myself. It was poorly, but it isn't who I am. I'm not my mistakes. Should have been handled very differently. It's like this--because I spit in the food. It's blown out of proportion on their end, but at the end of the day, we're here, because of me," Hendricks said.
Hendricks says she is accountable for her actions, but is adamant she did not give Church herpes. She sent 2 News Oklahoma negative herpes test results purportedly from McCurtain Memorial Hospital, taken on June 22.
2 News Oklahoma cannot independently verify the results, but Hendricks says she handed them over to Broken Bow police.
"My spit's not poison. It just blew out of proportion. And apparently, me and her both need prayed for. But yeah, it's embarrassing. Very embarrassing," Hendricks said.
Hendricks, who has a prior criminal record related to theft and substance abuse, is hoping the test results and a subsequent blood test will help her chances at a reduced charge.
2 News Oklahoma tried to contact the district attorney and the Broken Bow Police Department multiple times about this case and have not heard back. We also reached out to Arby's and their affiliated restaurant groups, as they are named in the lawsuit.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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