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An Oklahoma middle-school teacher died after enduring searing pain and dozens of surgeries after she drank a margarita made of degreaser two years ago. Holly Hill, 30, was a 'beloved' third-grade teacher when she consumed the poisoned concoction in 2023. Hill, a wife and mother of three, had ventured out on a romantic Valentine's Day date with her husband at Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill in Elgin where she ordered the fateful cocktail. But the night quickly took a wrong turn after her drink was allegedly found to contain industrial-strength degreaser. Her mother, Kelly Hunter, told News on 6 that Hill's 'mouth was on fire' after drinking the beverage. 'She knew immediately something wasn't right,' Hunter told the outlet. 'She immediately jumped up and ran to the bathroom, started throwing up, started rinsing her mouth out with water.' In the years that followed, Hill was forced to make multiple trips to the emergency room for severe chemical burns in her esophagus. While the restaurant made no public acknowledgement of the incident, a vague post from May 2023 issued an apology which appeared to be directed at Hill and her family. 'Good afternoon Elgin community. Please accept our apologies for our delay in addressing the situation we encountered a few months ago,' the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post. 'We are very sorry for what happened and we feel deeply since the moment it occurred because during these ten years we have never had a situation like this, a situation that should not have occurred in the first place. 'The manager in charge at the time of the situation, Miguel Esparza , has always tried to constantly communicate with her and her family. 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. Our prayers continue for her and her family. The support you have given us over the years is greatly appreciated and we are here to assist you in any way we can. Thank you.' Since the alleged ingestion, Hill required dozens of surgeries and even reached a confidential settlement with the restaurant after she sued, News9 reported. '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,' her obituary said. '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.' On October 1, Hill posted a picture of herself preparing for her 30th surgery. 'It's been one year and seven-and-a-half months since I took one swallow of what I thought was my margarita,' she wrote on Facebook. '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.' Her last procedure took place on October 17, just days before her death, according to her mother. 'The hole in her esophagus wasn't healed but it was a bit better and not as inflamed,' Hunter wrote on Facebook. '[T]hey were able to call in a pulmonologist to assist in stitching it up. She will have to continue tube feeds for a while longer.' Hunter added that Hill would have had to return in a 'few weeks' for a swallow study to check on her progress. 'Not exactly the news we wanted but overall good news,' Hunter wrote at the time. But, as the hospital was preparing to transport her they lost her pulse, Hunter told News on 6. Hunter said that one of their family's priorities is to find justice for her daughter. 'The number one thing that we really want at this point, and out of this, is we want people to be aware of what happened at that restaurant and to quit supporting them,' Hunter said. 'We want them to be held accountable for taking my daughter’s life; because they did. It might have been a long fight, but ultimately, they are the cause.' The Elgin Police Department announced on Facebook that Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation had launched an investigation. Hill had taught at Elgin Middle School since 2019 and was said to have been a 'dedicated teacher, Elgin Alumni, and beloved mother and wife,' according to Elgin Schools Superintendent Nate Meraz. 'Please join me in sending our heartfelt condolences to the family of one of our beloved teachers, Holly (Hunter) Hill. This morning I received the unimaginable call that Holly had passed away unexpectedly,' Meraz wrote on Facebook. 'She was an Owl through and through and we lift her family up in prayer tonight.' According to her obituary, Hill had a passion for teaching in 'everything she did' and began her career at Kid Central Early Childhood and School Age Center where 'she touched the lives of many children and parents alike.' Hill leaves behind her husband, Brandon, and her children Paisley, Finn and Brady. '[Her children] were her world, her greatest joy, and the reason behind every smile. Whether cheering them on, reading bedtime stories, or simply holding them close, Holly poured her heart into motherhood,' her obituary read. 'Holly will be remembered for her kindness, her bright smile, and the way she made every child feel seen and loved.' The Daily Mail reached out to Haciendas Las Margaritas Bar and Grill, the Elgin Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for comment.
