Mom, 30, dies two years after drinking margarita at restaurant as police release update

A mom has tragically and suddenly died more than two years after drinking a cocktail while on a Valentine's Day date with her husband.

Holly Hill, a third-grade teacher from Oklahoma, recalled feeling like her mouth was 'on fire' after taking a sip of a poisoned margarita served to her at a Mexican restaurant in Elgin.

She also started vomiting immediately after drinking the deadly concoction, found to contain industrial-strength degreaser, served by Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill on Valentine's Day, 2023.

Her mom, Kelly Hunter, told News 9 that the mom-of-three promptly ran to the bathroom and began 'rinsing her mouth out with water.'

Despite her efforts, medics determined the third-grade teacher had ingested the cleaning chemical which left a hole in her esophagus and complications for the rest of her life.

The mom said she ingested one 'swallow' of the deadly cocktail (Facebook)

Holly later reached a confidential settlement with the restaurant after successfully suing them for her ongoing health complications related to the chemical burns in her esophagus, which required dozens of surgeries.

Tragically, her family have now revealed the mom died after succumbing to her injuries on October 23 at the age of 30.

In October last year, the mom said she had 30 procedures on her esophagus, caused by taking 'one swallow of what I thought was my margarita.'

"To say it’s changed my life is an understatement. I continue to pray and believe in my doctor to lead the way through this never ending journey that I now call life," she penned on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill only publicly commented on the situation in May 2023, writing in part: "We are very sorry for what happened and we feel deeply since the moment it occurred because during these 10 years we have never had a situation like this, a situation that should not have occurred in the first place."

The mom had dozens of surgeries in the years since the incident (Facebook)

It continued: "We have never walked away from responsibility and will continue to support them in any way possible while our insurance company is on the case. We have always tried to give back to the community and will continue to do so.

"We again want to apologize to her, her family, and the Elgin community."

Holly then had another procedure on her esophagus in the days before her sudden death, during which medics reportedly found the hole 'wasn't healed' but appeared 'a bit better and not as inflamed,' her mom wrote in a post on social media.

"They were able to call in a pulmonologist to assist in stitching it up. She will have to continue tube feeds for a while longer," Kelly wrote following the surgery on October 17. "She will have to come back in a few weeks for a swallow study with contrast to check on progress. Not exactly the news we wanted but overall good news."

An obituary that describes Holly as a 'passionate' teacher and 'proud' mom reads: "For the past two and a half years, while continuing to teach and care for her family, Holly faced a long and difficult medical journey.

Holly leaves behind the 'love of her life', Brandon, and her three children (Facebook)

"Through fighting to survive countless procedures, hospital stays, and uncertain days, she met each challenge with courage, faith, and a quiet strength that inspired everyone around her.

"Her perseverance and love were nothing short of remarkable."

A GoFundMe for her family, set up by a family friend, adds: "Holly was an amazing woman, daughter, wife, and mother. After 2 1/2 years of battling complications from ingesting industrial cleaner that had been served to her in a margarita at a local restaurant, she succumbed to her injuries."

She is survived by her husband of seven years, Brandon Hill, and their three children, age six, 11 and 14, as well as her parents, siblings and 'countless' friends, the fundraiser states.

Elgin Police Department, working with the Comanche County District Attorney, also confirmed in a public statement that it had contacted the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. An 'initial inquiry' has now been launched with the agency, Chief Ralph Parsons said.

Donations can be made to Holly's fundraiser here.