Camilla Jessen
NYC woman claims she found a human finger in a chicken wrap.
A routine takeout order turned into a disturbing discovery that sparked a lawsuit, a forensic investigation, and dueling accusations between customer and restaurant.
A Disturbing Discovery in a Takeout Wrap
What began as an ordinary lunch break quickly spiraled into a scene straight from a horror movie for Mary Elizabeth Smith, a 43-year-old real estate agent from Chelsea, New York.
After picking up her regular chicken wrap from Create, a Mediterranean restaurant in Astoria, Queens, Smith claims she bit into a human fingertip.
Customer Left “Permanently Traumatized”
According to a lawsuit filed in New York County Supreme Court, the incident has left Smith “permanently traumatized.”
Her experience led to ongoing antiretroviral therapy, mounting legal bills, and a sharp distrust of takeout meals.
“It Was a Fingertip”
Smith’s attorney, Robert Menna, told People and Newsner that his client was lucky not to have swallowed the object.
“But it still traumatized her,” he added.
The complaint further accuses the restaurant of gross negligence, claiming the experience caused “serious injuries and mental anguish.”
Verified by Forensic Report
The alleged discovery was photographed and analyzed in a forensic report that, according to Menna, confirms the item was indeed human tissue—and reportedly female.
Smith allegedly even tried to pay her doctor $75 just to tell her it wasn’t a finger. The emotional toll, she says, has been immense: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.”
Restaurant: “It’s Completely Fraudulent”
The owner of Create, Teddy Karagiannis, is pushing back hard against the accusations, calling them “completely fraudulent” and “ludicrous.”
He insists his restaurant has multiple layers of food safety inspections and maintains that the wrap could not have been contaminated in his kitchen.
“It’s impossible. It cannot happen in my style of operation,” he said to Unilad.
“She Could’ve Picked It Up Off the Street”
Karagiannis further claims no female employees were working the prep line that day, contradicting Smith’s assertion that she saw a woman behind the counter.
He also criticized Smith for reportedly refusing a DNA test that could, in his words, prove the finger didn’t come from one of his staff.
“She could’ve picked it up off the street,” he speculated.
Legal Battle Brewing
Despite the pushback, Smith and her attorney remain firm.
Menna says the restaurant’s insurance company has already denied the claim, and with forensic evidence in hand, they are ready to let the court decide.
“So we will let the court take care of it,” Menna said. “This has been horrifying for her.”
Smith now says she’s “very cautious” about anything she eats and that it took weeks before she could eat chicken again.
