Bed Bugs in Huntsville Motel

Huntsville, AL - Amanda Morrison is staying at the Shelby Motel on North Memorial Parkway. At least she was, until bed bugs took over her room. She says she noticed bumps appearing on her body, and her son's body, a few days ago.

"I thought it was just maybe mosquitoes or something like that because I go outside. Last night they were crawling, they were crawling on me, so I grabbed it and I smushed it and it was blood," she said.

Morrison has been staying at the motel with her 6 year old son for about three weeks, attempting to save up money for an apartment. She was forced to leave her home after ending her 9 year relationship. She moved into her current room a few days ago and that is when the trouble began.

"My son will get the whelps and he will sit there and itch, itch, itch," she said. "I was staying here wanting to build up the money for like either a vehicle or a home that's better than this because I don't want to have my son in a hotel room," she continued.

She says she called the office Saturday night to report the problem but was told to call back during normal business hours, when she did, she was asked to leave.

"I said, 'But I can't get another room?' and he said, 'No, you have to check out.' I said, 'I have nowhere to go, I have no car here with me or anything,' and he said, 'That's not my problem.'""

The owner of Shelby Motel, PJ Patel, says he simply does not have another room to give Morrison and says he will only reimburse her the cost of one night's stay.

"We gave her a full refund of her stay for last night and that was it," said Patel.

Morrison says she has paid much more than that while unknowingly living in an infested room.

"I've been paying $50 or…$52 every night," she said.

Now Morrison says she has to replace infested clothing and food, so she does not accidentally take the bugs with her, wherever she goes.

"I'm going to go I guess try to get another room and I guess work things out from there."