A mother and daughter endured a harrowing health crisis when they both exhibited signs of a serious reaction to mold and dampness in their home
“Me and my daughter have started to suffer endless chest infections and ENT issues so my two-year-old needs an inhaler,” Joanna Hayes shared of the ordeal
Though tests are currently being done on her living space, Hayes and her daughter were advised to relocate for the time being to avoid risk of further exposure
A mom and her toddler are struggling with a “sinister,” pervasive mold problem in their apartment that’s so severe, it’s impacted their breathing and sickening the mom to the point where she’s worried about “dropping down dead.”
Joanna Hayes, 42, and her 2-year-old daughter moved into their apartment in the U.K. town of Stourport-on-Severn in June 2024, according to the Daily Mail. Within months of taking residence, however, Hayes claims that the property became infected with black mold. The life-threatening substance not only spread across walls, shoes and cabinets, but even began affecting their living room, with mushrooms visibly growing on their damp sofa.
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Joanna Hayes said there are mushrooms growing on her couch.
“There is a big patch of mold in the living room and even mold under the bed. It is everywhere,” Hayes explained.
“Soon after we moved in, we noticed shadows on the walls and black mold,” she said, according to the publication. “I initially treated it myself but the mold got worse and worse the colder it got to the point where the wallpaper was falling off.”
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Joanna Hayes says she’s been sickened by mold in her home.
“When the wet weather set in, the damp and mold became more and more obvious,” Hayes said, adding, “Me and my daughter have started to suffer endless chest infections and ENT issues so my 2-year-old needs an inhaler.”
Hayes claims she has difficulty breathing, has nearly lost consciousness a few times, and attributes a rash on her legs to the mold.
She added to the publication that when she “told the paramedics about the mold and they went into my daughter’s room,” they quickly deemed that the “conditions were unacceptable.”
“The reaction made me realize that something sinister is going on in the [apartment], and the mold spores are having a physical impact on my health,” Hayes added, sharing, “I’m in fear for my life and I can’t risk dropping down dead in the property and leaving my two-year-old to fend for herself.”
Though tests are currently being done on her living space, Hayes and her daughter were advised to relocate for the time being to avoid risk of further exposure.
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Joanna Hayes claims the mold gave her a rash.
PEOPLE reached out to Community Housing, who the Daily Mail reported operates the apartment that Hayes and her daughter occupied, for additional comment, but they did not immediately respond.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Community Housing said, “We are sorry that Ms. Hayes has been experiencing problems with damp and mold in her home. We have been working closely with her to rectify the problem and deal with other repairs she has reported. We have further works planned to treat the affected areas and have kept Ms Hayes informed of the progress of this. We will continue to support her and carry out repairs to enable her to feel safe and well in her home.”
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