Woman says she got bed bugs at Charlotte hotel during CIAA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A woman said she picked up bed bugs at a local hotel and unknowingly took them home.

Stephanie Eason believes she got the bed bugs while staying at the Homewood Suites on North Tryon Street during CIAA weekend. Eason sent Eyewitness News photos of bright red marks on her skin.

"Unfortunately my little mini-vacation turned into a nightmare," Eason said.

Eason, who lives in Raleigh, said she checked into the hotel on Feb. 28 and during her three-night stay, she and a friend saw what appeared to be bed bugs in the room.

"When we were sitting there, we noticed a bug crawling on the couch, and he said 'Stephanie, I think that's a bed bug.' And I said, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" Eason said.

Eason said she spoke to hotel staff. The hotel did spray the room, but after she left, she noticed the bites on her leg.

Eason filed a complaint with the Mecklenburg County Health Department. The department confirmed it sent someone to the hotel, but management for the hotel had already shut down the room and three surrounding rooms and brought in pest control company Ecolab.

A few days later, the health department reported the hotel manager said Ecolab did confirm the presence of bed bugs in the room.

Eason said not only was her CIAA weekend ruined, but now she's spent time and money bringing pest control companies into her house.

"I just want to be compensated for the damages and I have had to miss work," she said. "This has been emotionally and mentally draining, I can't tell you how uncomfortable this has been."

The hotel management company spoke to Eyewitness News and said “safety and comfort” are top priorities and as soon as bed bugs were reported, they called in professionals to treat them.

As far as compensation, the company said its working with its insurance company to figure out a solution for Eason's bills.

WSOC