JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville toddler was left recovering in the hospital after his mom told Action News Jax he was bitten by a rat in their HUD housing.
“The infection could have went in his bloodstream. He was at risk of turning sepsis, so that could have killed my child,” Teliah Broughton told Action News Jax.
According to doctors at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, one-year-old messiah smith experienced a bacterial skin infection.
In a letter written to the property managers, doctors said in part:
“There is reason to believe that unsanitary housing conditions, including the presence of rodents, may have contributed to development or the exacerbation of [Messiah’s] infection.”
Teliah said she first pointed out concerns about rats in their home to the property managers back in August.
Although an email chain provided to Action News Jax shows property managers did offer the option of Teliah terminating her lease early without any fees, Teliah said they did not respond to her request to be placed in a new, safer home.
“They should have done more, like I told them from the jump. This is very dangerous when it comes to small children and rats,” Teliah explained. “They should’ve put me out of this house and put me somewhere that was rodent-free. And they just, they failed to do that. So they’re still failing to put me somewhere that’s rodent-free, so I don’t know.”
Action News Jax reached out to the property manager after hours Monday night, but have not heard back.
We also reached out to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, but only got a message about the government shutdown.
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