A popular Chinese restaurant in Louisiana has been caught keeping roadkill in its freezer. Police investigated China Queen in Pineville after a viral Facebook post accused the staff of 'skinning roadkill' behind the establishment, KALB reported.
'Chinese restaurant between [Super 1 Foods] and TJ Maxx in Pineville, skinning roadkill behind the restaurant yesterday,' the post said. 'They found the skin and head in dumpster outback. Y'all might wanna bring a DNA kit to these restaurants to check the status of meat you are eating from these places.'
The post prompted the Pineville Police Department to send officers to the restaurant on Tuesday. 'Upon arrival, officers observed evidence indicating the dead animal was a deer. It was alleged the deer had been collected after being found deceased on the side of the roadway,' Pineville Police said in a statement. 'During the investigation, the deer carcass was found stored in a freezer alongside other food items that were allegedly intended to be served to customers inside the establishment.'
Police then contacted the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Department of Health, who have taken over the investigation.
China Queen posted a sign on the door acknowledging that the deer was 'improperly stored.' 'We apologize for the recent incident. The item involved was never intended to be served to customers, but it was improperly stored. It has been fully cleaned and sanitized,' the sign said. 'We are cooperating with health authorities and have corrected our procedures to ensure this does not happen again. Thank you for your understanding.'
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Permits Coordinator Bradley Breland told the local news station that harvesting roadkill is illegal without prior approval. 'Illegal possession of a deer, which would be possession of roadkill, essentially, is a class four violation in Louisiana. Class four violations, can have a fine from 400 to 950 dollars, [and] up to 120 days in prison or both,' Breland said.
He explained that the major health and safety concern is about the bacteria the roadkill could harbor. 'The main thing is, how long has it been there? Heat, moisture, and bacterial growth are the main causes of meat spoilage,' Breland said. 'So, ideally, you want that meat to be stored at 40 degrees or less. The longer it’s there, our moist human environment lends itself to bacterial growth.'
China Queen is an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant serving chicken, beef and shrimp dishes, along with sushi. Records obtained by the local news station showed that China Queen has several previous health code violations. An inspection on April 1 found several critical violations, including food that was not marked or otherwise identified with the time it would be cooked, served, or discarded. Other critical violations included an employee drinking in a food preparation area, equipment not constructed of approved materials, chemicals stored with food, and an improper plumbing fixture. However, a report from April 8 noted only two non-critical structural issues at the restaurant. Several reports from 2025 showed similar critical issues were found at China Queen.
The Daily Mail has contacted the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Department of Health for comment.
