Video - Tenants say apartment mold made them sick

[Guest guest]

Tenants say apartment mold made them sick

WWL-TV New Orleans*

10:19 AM CDT on Monday, July 9, 2007

Stacia Willson / Eyewitness News Reporter

http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl070907khapartmentmold.5a91

95d6.html

SLIDELL -- At least two families living in a quad-plex claim that

toxic mold in their homes made them seriously ill.

" That stuff was growing in our carpets, it's growing in our

furniture, our mattresses, our clothes, " Robin said. " We were

constantly just being exposed to our environment which was turning

around and making us sick. "

The family moved into the quad-plex in mid-March and began feeling

ill a week later. They checked into a hospital, where blood tests

showed mold as a possible cause for their health problems.

" We've had abscesses on the side of my face, they've had to cut open

the back of my leg. My daughter has spots all over her, my baby has

a fungal skin infection from the base of her neck past her bottom, "

Robin said.

Nicky said he and his wife never expected to see their children

exposed to a dangerous toxin at such an early age.

" All I hear is, `Daddy, my head hurts. Daddy, my skin itches…Daddy,

when are we going to get better? Why is the house making us sick?' "

he said.

It's a difficult thing to accept as parents, they said.

The owner of the complex declined to comment about the issue.

Eyewitness News contacted Barrios, a former tenant of the quad-

plex who also experienced health problems. She took several photos

to document the fungus that was growing inside her apartment.

" I had headaches, constantly sinus headaches, sore throat…it was

horrible, " Barrios said.

The Giovannis contacted multiple state agencies, including the State

Health Department, the Director of Health and Hospitals, and the

Department of Environmental Quality.

" If one family just has issues, then that could be caused by many

things; but these are families in different units having the same

problem and nobody had them before anyone moved in there, " Robin

said.

The DEQ performed a home inspection and the matter remains under

investigation. Meanwhile, the Giovannis have moved into a hotel and

said their symptoms have improved, but their ordeal is far from

over. Almost everything they owned remains inside the apartment.

They've been told that all of it could be contaminated.

" It's tough, you gotta replace everything you own, " Nicky said.

Despite the immediate hardships, the family feels fortunate to be

together and away from a place that carries so many bad memories.

--------

For more information:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, www.EPA.gov or call 1-800-438-

4318