A Hartford Mom Says Her Family Catches 15 Mice a Day in Their Apartment, Asking the City for Help
A person identified as Jendayi Scott took to Facebook on Oct. 14 to share a post about some deplorable conditions that they say a family has been living in. Scott shared a series of photos, saying that the images were captured in a Hartford, Connecticut home that was being rented by a mother of four, two of whom have disabilities, with one recovering from heart surgery.
The images shared to the Dwelling In The North End of Hartford Facebook group appear to show a massive mouse infestation, showing pictures of mice on glue boards and videos of mice running around the home, including on the bed and hiding behind pillows. “This mother moved into her apartment just two months ago, and what she and her children have been subjected to is absolutely inhumane,” the post explained.
According to Scott, the home is full of roaches, mice, and rats, and lacks a sufficient heat source. When the renters asked the landlord to address the issue, it reportedly ended with him trying to repair the system on his own, inadvertently causing pipes to burst and flooding the apartment.
Scott, whose connection to the family remains unclear, asked the city to get involved. Now, the story is going viral, and NBC News even reached out to interview the family about the situation. Here’s what we know.
The Mom Says She Catches More Than 15 Mice and Rats a Day
@nbcconnecticut A Hartford mother says her family’s apartment has been overrun by mice since July, and she’s demanding action. City inspectors found evidence of mice, and the landlord has been instructed to bring in a licensed exterminator. The property owner says he’s working with the city to fix the problem. For now, the mother and her children have been relocated to a hotel. But she says she wants to make sure the problem is actually fixed. Hartford residents experiencing housing issues can contact the city through 311. #hartford #connecticut #apartment #rodentinfestation ♬ original sound – nbcconnecticut
Scott says that the mom has been dealing with aggressive rodents for a while now, claiming that they are comfortable enough with humans that they even crawl into bed with the family while they’re sleeping. The animals have also been found in other places around the house, including inside the kitchen, where the family keeps their food and dishes.
“Mom and her children have bite marks and skin irritations they believe are connected to the infestation and being bitten while sleeping,” the post continues. “One of these babies underwent heart surgery at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center just two weeks ago!”
The Post Says This Isn’t an Isolated Incident
The mother-of-four doesn’t appear to be the only one in the building dealing with these issues, according to the post. “According to this mother, the entire building is experiencing these conditions,” Scott continued. “Other tenants are afraid to speak up because affordable housing is scarce, and they have nowhere else to go. They’ve accepted conditions no human being should have to tolerate because they fear losing the little housing they have.”
The post went on to demand action from the City of Hartford’s leadership, even tagging several local media outlets to bring attention to the issue.
NBC News Interviewed the Mother About the Infestation
A day after the Facebook post was shared in the group, NBC Connecticut shared a story about the situation, identifying Allison Bridges as the mother in Scott’s post. In the interview, Bridges shared more details about the situation. “It’s been a nightmare here,” she said. “My kids aren’t comfortable. I’m not comfortable.”
Bridges says she’s finally been able to get some help with the situation, and she and her kids were moved by the city to a motel. Since then, they’ve been relocated once more, this time to a larger hotel room where they are expected to stay for about a month.
Meanwhile, the landlord denies the claim that other tenants are experiencing similar problems, saying that he’s only heard from Bridges about the rodents and pests.
