KRGV.com

BROWNSVILLE - A Brownsville woman is dealing with a big problem. She says her apartment is infested with roaches and her landlord won't do anything about it.

They're in the kitchen, on the vents, even in the shower. It's a daily battle for Esmeralda Barrera to keep the roaches out of her children's food.

"I'm trying my best. You know, people say, 'Oh, no. Well, you need to try harder.' How much harder can I try?" says Barrera.

There are four children younger than 10 in the home. She says one has asthma, and the youngest has epilepsy. Barrera is a full-time mom with a house full of unwanted guests.

"Even though I'm living here on a fixed income, my income is very low, it's hard trying to be a good mom, support my children, support my family, as well as speak out for friends," says Barrera.

Barrera says she pays about $400 a month to live there. She has told her landlady about the roaches.

"It's inhumane how the manager expects to collect the rent on the first of the month but she doesn't like to fix anything. It's really hard," says Barrera.

Her landlady Liz Everett doesn't deny the roach problem. She blamed it on her tenants.

"They are to blame. They are very dirty; they're very dirty. I handed in the apartments very clean. And I gave them poison, but they don't put it because of the dogs. So it's not my fault," says Everett.

We tried to explain the situation, saying that when we visited the problems there were roaches but no dogs.

"Eh, no, it's not my problem; it's them they are very dirty," says Everett.

She continued to say the roach issues were the tenant's fault. The Brownsville Health Department says they'll go to 2144 E. Los Ebanos and see for themselves.