A Tomball senior battling a mouse infestation gets help from a local exterminator, but concerns remain about the severity and possible spread.
TOMBALL, Texas — A Tomball woman who asked for help with a mouse infestation is now seeing support from her community, and a major cleanup effort is underway.
KHOU 11 first told you about 87-year-old Janice Crowe last week, when she described living with mice inside her apartment. Since then, she says the number of rodents caught has climbed to 70.
After that story aired, a local exterminator stepped in to help — offering his services for free.
Crowe says the response has been overwhelming.
“They’ve been bringing me food, phone calls and encouragement,” she said.
The exterminator, who asked not to be identified, said the situation inside the apartment was worse than expected.
“Basically, all the droppings everywhere throughout the place, in her stove, in her dishwasher,” he said.
Even during KHOU 11’s previous visit, mice could be heard moving around. On a return trip, another dead mouse was found under the dishwasher.
The exterminator said mice had eaten through insulation inside appliances and nested throughout the unit. He has since sealed several entry points, but says the infestation is severe.
“The amount she has in her unit is pretty high,” he said.
He estimates the work needed to fully sanitize the apartment will cost more than $2,000 — a service he plans to donate.
“These things carry so much diseases, so I’m going to throw that in for her, bring a team, do a sanitation and reclaim her place again,” he said.
Crowe says apartment management has provided some treatment, including traps, poison, and spraying, but she felt it wasn’t enough.
“I was very discouraged because I wasn’t getting help from management like I thought they should do,” she said.
When contacted by KHOU 11, the property manager declined to provide a statement. However, management said they have continued inspecting and treating the apartment and noted that neighbors next door and below have not reported similar issues. They also said Crowe has been encouraged to continue cleaning as treatment continues.
The exterminator warns that the problem may not be isolated.
“Once you secure her unit, this traffic is going elsewhere — it’s a gamble on where they decide to go,” he said.
For now, Crowe says she’s finally getting some relief after months of fear and sleepless nights.
“I love him,” she said, laughing. “He has helped me sleep.”
A renters’ rights expert says tenants dealing with similar issues should document concerns in writing and send complaints to management through certified mail. They also say renters with health or mobility challenges can request reasonable accommodations — and being denied could violate federal protections under the Fair Housing Act.
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