Woman Sues Over Alleged Toxic Mold Death

Jennifer Lair and Sixty-eight other residents have joined the lawsuit against the owner of the Coventry Place Apartment complex, alleging toxic mold is continuing to make them and their families ill. Lair alleges toxic mold in the facility caused the death of her 2-year-old daughter. Lair said her daughter suddenly became ill in late 2003. Doctors could not diagnose the problem, she said.

While Lair blames the mold, the coroner listed the cause of death as pneumonia. Lair’s lawyer said the county did not use proper tests on the girl and missed the fungus. County health officials disagree. If there was an indication of fungus, the county would have found it, said Boyce Dulan, the county’s director of disease control. The lawsuit claims that tests showed high levels of toxic mold in 16 units, including Lair’s apartment.

Many of the residents here came from another apartment complex managed by the SME company, Manco Abbott. That 258-unit complex was shut down after high levels of toxic mold were found, the lawsuit states. The building was eventually torn down.

The family of Steven Reina, a former tenant there, also has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the owners and management company, claiming the man’s death in June 2002 was caused by moldy conditions in his apartment.