Bed bug deja vu has Pasco woman in tears

PORT RICHEY, Fla. - In January 2011, Melissa Mehran showed us the bed bug problem in her Port Richey apartment.

At the time, Melissa was convinced the bugs weren't coming from her bed, but from the walls. Still, management at Regency Palms Apartments said getting rid of the insects was her responsibility.

Fast forward to the present and another woman, Cassie Wilson, living in the same complex is tormented by the same problem.

"This is all of the bugs and what they left behind all through there," said Wilson as she held up her mattress. 

Wilson also says beg bugs are coming from the walls and she's using tape to try and prove it. She captures bugs with the tape when she seems them on her wall.

But just like in Melissa's case, management says she's responsible and must pay almost $700 in pest control charges.

Cassie is a single mother and works two jobs. She says until she saves up enough money, she has no choice to but to stay here.

"I'm forced to, I have no place else to go," she said tearfully.

Wilson didn't know what to do, so she was searching on the internet and came across last year's ABC Action News story about Melissa's plight (see http://wfts.tv/OjhVvu ).  Watching it brought to her tears.

"I started to cry, because they are trying to tell me that I brought these bugs in and it's my imagination," said Wilson.

An inspection from the Florida Department of Business Professional Regulation found the apartment complex met standards. But the department's authority only includes common areas, not individual apartments.

I also contacted management of the apartment complex, but have yet to hear back.

In the past, their attorney said the lease that tenants sign says bed bugs are the responsibility of the tenant.

So perhaps the way for Cassie to contest that is to file a lawsuit.

Meanwhile, she says, she didn't pay this month's rent and is facing eviction.

"Why should I pay rent to live with bugs?  It's not a cheap place to live.  I pay good money to be here, and I shouldn't have to live with bugs," said Wilson.

She says until she gets out, she'll have to trash her mattresses and be on the lookout for more bugs.