FLORISSANT, Mo. – A family living under Section 8 Housing in Florissant turned for help when they were being threatened by a family of bats.
Kimberly Hall says they fly in and out of the house as they please.
“We don’t know how they’re getting into our living quarters, but they’re steadily getting into (it),” Hall said. “My daughter’s room is the worst room, to the point when we’re taking her to her baby father’s house every night to keep my grandbabies safe…you’ll start to hear them swarm and steady, bouncing against the wall.”
She says it is frightening to see the bats fly around her house. Last time, she was alerted by her toddler.
“(He said), ‘Momma, it’s a bat flying in the room…,’ Now, I have a terrified five-year-old that’s scared to sleep in his own bedroom,” Hall said.
She has reached out to her landlord along with the St. Louis County Housing Authority, but to no avail. The next step was to visit the St. Louis County Health Department, and she was surprised with their response.
“They told me bats are a protected species and with them being a family, they cannot physically come into my home and remove the bats… I asked the lady, ‘So you mean to tell me I have to live with bats?’ and she was like, ‘Unfortunately, yes,’” Hall said.
FOX 2 reached out to Housing Authority Director Shannon Koenig, who responded with the following statement:
“Regarding this matter, we have spoken with Ms. Hall, inspected the home, contacted the landlord on behalf of Ms. Hall, scheduled a re-inspection of the home on July 23 of this month, and are working with the Department of Public Health.”