Church juice was poisoned, police say(Connecticut )

[RedEarth]

DARIEN -- The grape juice that sickened 40 people at a Darien church Sunday was intentionally poisoned, police said yesterday.

"We have a crime. We just don't know what the motive is," Darien Police Capt. Fred Komm said. He said the juice was likely poisoned at the church.

Members of the congregation reported a burning sensation in their throats after drinking less than a half-ounce near the end of the Calvary Baptist Church's 11 a.m. service. Five people who became nauseated and started vomiting were taken to area hospitals. No one was seriously injured.

A deacon purchased the 64-ounce container of Welch's purple grape juice Saturday at the CVS Pharmacy, a few doors down from the church at 988 Post Road.

Preliminary test results revealed the contaminant was foreign to the manufacturing process, ruling out that it could have entered the bottle at the Welch's factory in Massachusetts, Komm said.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-grapejuice2feb10,0,660370,print.story?coll=stam-news-local-headlines