Mold issue that sickened son persists in Morris Heights apartment
In mid-August, News 12 reported the story of Bronx resident, Amina Gladden, who says her son battles painful eczema that his doctor says was brought on by mold exposure
More Stories
A mother says mold that sickened one of her kids continues to be a problem at their Morris Heights apartment.
In mid-August, News 12 reported the story of Bronx resident, Amina Gladden, who says her son battles painful eczema that his doctor says was brought on by mold exposure.
She says mold and flies were taking over her home in Morris Heights. Building management eventually knocked down a wall in her closet and replaced it to fix the mold issue. However, she says the mold was plastered over in her apartment, not removed.
Since the story first aired, a New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development inspector completed an inspection of Gladden’s apartment on West 180th Street. The inspector issued four violations within her home, including violations for the infestation of flies and for mold.
The mold, however, continues to grow in unseen places -- and flies are everywhere they should not be.
"The mold is growing out of the cabinet. They took the cabinets out, but he couldn't even put the new cabinets in because the mold is in the wall now," Gladden said.
In a statement, a spokesperson from HPD said, "No family deserves to live in an unhealthy home, no questions asked. All residential building owners are required by law to keep their tenants' apartments free of mold and pests. We have issued violations at this property and will continue to take all appropriate steps until these problems are properly addressed."
"Even if they take the whole wall down, my kids are here, so you're going to expose my kids and us to all this mold and the smell is unbearable," she added.
A News 12 crew that walked through her kitchen on Saturday observed flies on the ceiling walls and buzzing through the living room.
Gladden lives in her home with her five children and said she has had enough.
"I need to be out this apartment. That's the bottom line. This is not healthy for my kids. That's the only solution to this," she said.
News 12 reached out to the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation which owns the building. It says they are unable to comment due to an ongoing lawsuit filed by Gladden.
