Patricia Shields’ life took a terrifying turn after moving into a Florida apartment, a turn that ultimately led to the loss of two toes. The ordeal began with persistent, burning bites and culminated in a desperate legal battle against her former landlord.
Just two weeks after settling into Grand Oak Apartments in Largo, Florida, Shields noticed spiders emerging from the bathroom vent. She immediately alerted management, only to be told they only handled cockroach infestations and offered to clean the vents – at her expense.
This response felt particularly cruel, Shields argues, given her circumstances. She is disabled, relies on a fixed income, and was housed through the Section 8 program, a government assistance initiative for low-income individuals.
The bites started subtly, first on her forehead, then escalating to her legs, forcing Shields to seek repeated medical attention. She even presented a bag filled with the offending spiders to the front desk, only to be dismissed with the assurance they weren’t venomous.
The situation spiraled dramatically in June of the following year when a large brown spider bit Shields on her big toe. The bite quickly worsened, leading to the agonizing necessity of amputation.
Her doctor warned Shields she was jeopardizing her health by remaining in the infested unit, but Grand Oak Apartments refused to release her from her lease. Two months later, a second toe succumbed to the relentless bites, requiring another amputation.
In total, Shields alleges she suffered nine spider bites, each one a searing reminder of the complex’s inaction. She accuses Grand Oak and related parties of negligence, claiming her repeated reports were ignored and dismissed.
“They threw them away or blew me off,” Shields recounted, her voice heavy with frustration. “And then, when I asked to be released from the lease, they told me no.”
Now homeless since leaving the apartment, Shields seeks $50,000 in damages, not for wealth, but for a chance to rebuild her life. Her simple plea is to finally have “everything settled” and return to a semblance of normalcy.
The emotional toll is immense. Shields describes the amputations as “embarrassing,” constantly forced to explain her condition to others. She simply wants to reclaim the life that was stolen by a preventable infestation.
