OKEMOS, me. (WLNS) – Most of us have heard of bed bugs … the parasites that may live in your mattress and that could only feed on human and animal blood while you sleep. However, Peggy Miller, a local Okemos woman, and her neighbors learn firsthand about the creepy, crawling, invasive parasites … and they ask for help.
“What I’m doing is screaming not just for myself or my friends, but for everyone here,” Miller exclaimed, “that’s not okay.”
According to Miller, she has had a firsthand look at bed bugs in the Carriage Lane Apartments subsidized public housing since February. Miller told 6 news reporters Araceli Crescencio that she felt them crawl on her body and as she lay down on her bed, she caught a bed bug in her hand.
According to the CDC, bed bugs are not known to spread disease, but can cause itching, sleep deprivation, and the possibility of secondary skin infections. Bed bug infestations usually occur in homes, shelters, dormitories, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dormitories.
Susan Gibbons is another resident of the Carriage Lane Apartments, which she says are infested in her home as well.
“When I found out I wasn’t going to receive treatment for a month, I thought that was enough time for her to super mutate,” explained Gibbons.
In response to the bed bug situation, the Carriage Lane Apartment director says they are ready to help.
“Weeks are actually pretty quick when you speak to the professionals we honestly hire, and they come in regularly,” said the director of Carriage Lane Apartments.
Although these insects are not dangerous, Miller told 6 News that it has reached its breaking point.
“Diagnosed with mental illness disability … I got stressed myself, and more stressed how do you deal with it,” Miller said.
Carriage Lane Apartments say they understand the resident’s concerns and say they will be heard.
However, for Miller and Gibbons, they still tend to wonder why the bed bugs are still a nuisance where they live.
“You should have extensive treatment in this building to prevent this from happening. Put an end to it, ”suggested Miller and Gibbons.
