What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York
I live in a townhouse Co-Op with 2 floors. We own the unit. The neighbor downstairs passed away for more than a month inside the apartment. They removed the body on 04/25/17. The smell is horrendous and definitely a health hazard with the mold and other toxins in the air. After the detective came and they removed the body, they sealed the door with a sticker and closed all the windows. I have 2 kids (7 and 11 years old) and a 63 year old in the apartment. Now, I called everyone and everywhere from the co-op management, police precinct, NY medical examiner, queens public administrator, 311 department of health, NY State General Attorney office…no one is able to help me. Everyone is giving me the run around and pointing the finger at the other departments involved. I understand that there are procedures to follow when there is a death but there must be some kind of exception when the body has been decomposing for over a month and it affects an existing family that is still alive. From what I understand is that if there is a next to kin that is still alive, they have to somehow contact them and they will need to go to the court to remove the seal and then go in to open the windows. In the meanwhile, the health of my family and I are at risk. My son and I have developed difficulty breathing and I am starting to have chest pains…especially this past weekend when the temperature was so hot. No one is giving me a time frame or any plan of action beside “just wait”. Who knows how long it will take for them to contact the next to kin, then for the next to kin to file a court date, go to court and then finally come open some windows. Can you help us please? If not, please give me some advice or direction. Thank you!
I live in a townhouse Co-Op with 2 floors. We own the unit. The neighbor downstairs passed away for more than a month inside the apartment. They removed the body on 04/25/17. The smell is horrendous and definitely a health hazard with the mold and other toxins in the air. After the detective came and they removed the body, they sealed the door with a sticker and closed all the windows. I have 2 kids (7 and 11 years old) and a 63 year old in the apartment. Now, I called everyone and everywhere from the co-op management, police precinct, NY medical examiner, queens public administrator, 311 department of health, NY State General Attorney office…no one is able to help me. Everyone is giving me the run around and pointing the finger at the other departments involved. I understand that there are procedures to follow when there is a death but there must be some kind of exception when the body has been decomposing for over a month and it affects an existing family that is still alive. From what I understand is that if there is a next to kin that is still alive, they have to somehow contact them and they will need to go to the court to remove the seal and then go in to open the windows. In the meanwhile, the health of my family and I are at risk. My son and I have developed difficulty breathing and I am starting to have chest pains…especially this past weekend when the temperature was so hot. No one is giving me a time frame or any plan of action beside “just wait”. Who knows how long it will take for them to contact the next to kin, then for the next to kin to file a court date, go to court and then finally come open some windows. Can you help us please? If not, please give me some advice or direction. Thank you!