Collinsville apartment owners sued over mold and sewage in air vents

A woman has filed suit against the owners of a Collinsville apartment where she lived, claiming her husband discovered mold and sewage in air vents leading to their apartment.

April Redding claims she developed lymph node problems while living in an apartment at 16 Manor Dr. in Collinsville. Redding is blaming her injuries on sewage, mold and toxic packets her husband discovered in the air vents of their apartment.

Defendants Danny and Kimberly Gatton attempted to hide the sewage and mold by placing a plastic bag over the vent, according to the complaint filed Feb. 7 in Madison County Circuit Court. The plastic bag held back the accumulating sewage, causing the mold and toxic substances to form in the vent, the suit states.

It was not until May 17 that Redding's husband discovered seven to eight inches of black water, mold and toxic packets in the apartment's air vent, the complaint says.

As a result of the mold and toxins she was breathing in while living at her apartment, Redding suffered injuries to her joints and neck, in addition to her lymph nodes, the complaint says. In addition, she claims she lost earnings, experienced pain and suffering and sustained disability and a loss of a normal life.

The Gattons negligently failed to maintain their property in a safe condition, failed to warn Redding of the mold and other toxins, failed to inspect the apartment and vents to discover the sewage and mold, allowed the apartment to become a safety hazard and failed to report any problems to authorities, according to the complaint.

In her four-count complaint, Redding is seeking a judgment of more than $200,000, plus costs.

Michael J. Brunton and Mary M. Stewart of Brunton Law Offices in Collinsville will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-116.