WAL-MART SCORPION BITE SENDS GIRL TO HOSPITAL

(05/26/2008)
A 12-year-old Barboursville girl was taken to a Huntington hospital after being stung by a scorpion while shopping at Wal-Mart.

Megan Templeton was at the Barboursville Wal-Mart yesterday with her father and younger sister to get some hamburgers and watermelon for a Memorial Day cookout.

Megan, while in the produce section perusing boxes of seedless watermelons from Mexico, felt a sharp pain.

Her father, William Templeton, said she jerked her hand out of the produce box to find a stinger in her finger with a tan creature attached.

Templeton said "I didn't believe it at first, but then I saw it run underneath (the box)."

Wal-Mart employees came and caught the creature, and Templeton took it to the hospital with his daughter.

Megan was treated and released.

Richard Coyle, senior director of international affairs for Wal-Mart, said "This is a very rare incident."

Coyle said there are no plans now to change the inspection process for all produce company-wide.

"It's just such a freak event," he said.