Pest problems are a terrible thing to deal with, and often it’s just easier to call in fumigators to get rid of your problem.
But when you ask someone to come in and poison the termites out of your walls, you’re basically letting professionals come in and poison your house. And that, of course, is taking a huge risk.
This Florida family, the McCaugheys, took the risk of trusting their local fumigator, and it did not pay off.
They brought in their local exterminators, a contractor with Terminix named Sunland, and these fumigators apparently “failed to properly make certain” that the family’s home was safe for them to re-enter. The whole family fell ill immediately upon re-entering the home, but their son Peyton, only ten years old, suffered the most.
His speech slurred, and he began to get muscle spasms. Now, he can’t even lift his head.
The family is now suing Terminix and Sunland for “shoddy practices,” and it looks like they may have grounds to do so.
Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Communications has been investigating, and of course Sunland’s pest-control license has been suspended until it concludes.
The investigation has found that Sunland didn’t participate in training that was required for using the chemicals for fumigation. They also found that devices they should have been using to test for safety had not been working properly.
Terminix, the parent company, refused to comment due to the lawsuit, except to say that its “heart goes out to the family.”
Right now, doctors are unsure if Peyton will fully recover. Right now, he requires constant care. Let's hope that justice is served, and next time you get your home fumigated, make sure you check the company's credentials.
