Woman Sleeps in Car to Avoid Snake, Rats in Apartment

An Oklahoma City woman is sleeping in her car after she says her landlord continues to do nothing about an on-going rodent problem.

Monday, June 8th 2009, 7:55 pm

By: News 9


By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma City woman is sleeping in her car after she says her landlord continues to do nothing about an on-going rodent problem.

Barbara Cherry has slept in her car since last Wednesday because she's too afraid to return to her apartment.

While she's not in the car, she sits outside her apartment door for fear of what may be inside.

 "I just refuse to stay in there," Cherry said. "I can't sleep."

Cherry said she saw a three-foot snake in her kitchen last week.

"The apartment sent their maintenance men out," Cherry said. "They couldn't find the snake and told me if I see it again to call them, but I'm not going to see it again because I'm not going to be in there."

Besides the snake, Cherry claims apartments in the Wentwood at Grand Hills complex are overrun with rats and mice, including her own. Her dog Carla has been her best defense against the rodents.

"She has killed many rats," Cherry said. "She's good at it, but there just too many of them now, she can't keep up with them."

Cherry is sure the snakes and rats are coming from a nearby overgrown field. She called the City of Oklahoma City to complain, and the city's code enforcement supervisor came to check out the problem.

The supervisor concluded that the field is in violation of the city ordinance. The owner of the field will have two weeks from the time of notice to cut the grass.

"If they don't do it, the city will do it and charge the owner," said Charles Locke, OKC Code Enforcement.

The apartment manager was not available for an interview. Apartment employees said they do know about the snake and have called pest control. They are also using poison to eliminate the rodent problem.

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