A Wyoming woman is recovering after her drink was spiked with what doctors believe was antifreeze during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
On Wednesday, Jan. 8, Kailey Kline was released from a hospital in Montana after she spent six days recovering from consuming a spiked drink at a bar in Cody on Dec. 31.
According to reports from local outlets KTVQand Cowboy State Daily, Kline, 23, a mom of two, had decided to go out with several friends to the Silver Dollar bar to ring in 2025.
Kline told police that she was given a drink by someone she didn’t know well at around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, per KTVQ. She later began to vomit and have a series of seizures after her fiancé took her home. Following the arrival of an ambulance, she was quickly flown by helicopter to a hospital in Billings, Mont., about 100 miles away.
“She rarely goes out, but had decided to celebrate with friends for New Year’s. Doctors believe antifreeze was placed in her drink NYE,” Kline’s mother, Amber Espinoza, wrote in a GoFundMe post that has since been established for her daughter. “She began having seizures, couldn’t move, and couldn’t support her own airway.”
A stock image of a spiked drink.
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Cowboy State reported that while medical professionals who treated Kline wouldn’t be able to tell exactly what she had been poisoned with, because of how much time had passed when they drew a blood sample, antifreeze was being considered the “most likely” cause.
According to KTVQ, Kline told police she could remember the face of the person who gave her the drink. Cowboy State reported that one of the first things she said in the hospital after a breathing tube was removed from her mouth was: “I got roofied.”
Espinoza, a nurse, added to Cowboy State that doctors told her and Kline that antifreeze has a sweet taste that makes it hard to detect in drinks.
“If she was already drinking sweet drinks or fruity drinks she wouldn’t have tasted it,” her mother said.
Kline is currently recovering at home with her fiancé and two children, her mother wrote on the GoFundMe page. Espinoza added to Cowboy State that while Kline is still experiencing some weakness, she is able to walk and hasn’t suffered any permanent organ damage.
Cody police told both outlets that they are still investigating the incident. The department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Espinoza is still fundraising for living and medical expenses on behalf of Kline, her fiancé and their kids, she wrote on GoFundMe. As of Sunday, Jan. 12, the fundraiser had received over $12,000 of its $15,000 goal.
Police Lt. Juston Wead told Cowboy State that the department did not receive any other reports of drinks being spiked at the bar on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s important to make sure you are aware of your drink because those types of things can happen,” Wead said. “Don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know, don’t leave your drink unattended.”
Espinoza added to Cowboy State that Kline was “probably too trusting” when she accepted the drink, but said she doesn’t blame the bar for what happened.
“Without knowing who actually did it, it’s hard to place blame on a business. They can’t be 100% responsible for their patrons all the time,” she said. “A lot of people want to be nice and buy you drinks, but if you don’t know them, don’t drink it.”
