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Patrina Miller was so happy to finally purchase her dream home in Inglewood. She
looked forward to hosting holidays and other traditions with her family and friends. But
the home she moved into last summer has quickly turned into a toxic nightmare.
According to Miller, the trouble began last September, when a sewer crew began
working on her street, cleaning sewage lines.
Something went wrong, and Miller’s home was filled with raw sewage. “The toilers were
gurgling, and there was water everywhere,” she said.
She is still experiencing that nightmare nearly 10 months later. First, she reached out to
Mattucci Plumbing, the company contracted by the City of Inglewood. Her claim was
then sent to another insurance company, then to an adjuster. The adjuster issued a
statement that Miller’s problem and strictly due to water damage.
“Whether the water is clear or not, if it has a sewage smell, then it’s contaminated,”
Miller said. Her suspicions were verified when she had her home tested and learned
there were various forms of mold and bacteria present. “If there is mold and bacteria in
the house, how can I live here?” she said.
Unlivable conditions have forced Miller to relocate and pay rent elsewhere while she
continues her fight with the City and insurance companies. She has contacted an
attorney and turned to ABC’s “7 On Your Side” investigative team to apply pressure
needed to fix the mess.
Meanwhile, the Inglewood City Council has rejected Miller’s claim. She was offered
$5,500 to settle the damages, but that doesn’t fix the mold and bacteria problems.
“I just want my house fixed. I’m not asking for exorbitant amounts of money,” she said.
Miller hopes her story will help others dealing with similar issues.
ABC-7 reached out to Mattucci, but received no comment. The City was also
contacted, and referred the matter to the City Attorney’s Office, which did not respond.
Inglewood Today reached out to the City, but did not hear back by press time.
