Officials Say Gastonia Motel Infested With Bed Bugs

A woman who lost her home in a fire said she was stunned to discover she was not sleeping alone in a Gastonia motel. Patricia Starling found and captured bed bugs at the Super 8 on Cox Road.

She wants to know why the motel is still accepting guests even after health officials found bed bugs in 58 percent of the rooms available to daily rental.

Starling stayed there for about a month with her two autistic sons after the blaze. She said she noticed what appeared to be a rash on her sons' arms back and chest. he took them to the emergency room where doctors told her it wasn't a rash, but instead bug bites.

Starling said she went back the motel, captured some of the bugs and gave some to Gaston County health officials. Specialist Doc Thompson said they found three or four bed bugs in 20 of the rooms. He said the bugs can't carry disease, but they can cause dermatitis. He said he advised the owner of the steps needed to get rid of the bugs and gave them 2 weeks to start with exterminations.

Eyewitness News asked why the health department couldn't just shut down the motel until the bugs are gone. Thompson said that a motel has to get a grade of 70 or less before they can shut it down. Even with the bed bugs, the Super 8 had a rating of 85. He said if they do not take steps to get rid of the bugs by next Thursday, then he can serve them with a notice of intent to suspend. Then after 30 days, if nothing has changed, the department can pull the motel's permit and shut it down.

Eyewitness News called the Super 8 owner, who at first claimed she didn't know anything about bed bugs in her motel. She then said she has an exterminator who comes by once a month. Eyewitness News also got a letter from her attorney, who gave a written statement that said, "should any remedial action be necessary to bring the Motel or any of its rooms into compliance with local health regulations, such action will be promptly taken."

IMAGES: Bed Bug Facts LINK: All About Bed BugsLINK: Bed Bug Signs And Symptoms