Never mind

…

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but perhaps Todd Allen McDonald was a bit premature in suing Hudson Foods Inc. of Rogers for product liability damages related to the recall of 25 million pounds of beef earlier this

year because of possible contamination from E. coli bacteria.

Readers might recall that Hudson was producing ground beef for the

Burger King restaurant chain. After the story broke, Hudson sold the beef

plant, then announced its intentions to sell the remainder of its company to

Springdale neighbor Tyson Foods Inc.

McDonald, who lives in Pulaski County, sued on behalf of his minor son,

also named Todd, who allegedly became seriously ill in July after eating a

hamburger purchased from Burger King at 11410 N. Rodney Parham Road in

Little Rock.

The elder McDonald filed the well-timed lawsuit in Pulaski County Circuit

Court on Oct. 8. But on Oct. 22, at McDonald’s bidding, the suit was

suddenly dismissed without elaboration.

Five days later, Hudson filed an answer to the by-then-moot complaint,

denying culpability. Hudson’s response? The company wasn’t even supplying beef

to the Rodney Parham Burger King at the time of the child’s alleged food

poisoning.