Englewood father dies after being exposed to toxic mold from Hurricane Ian

A family is mourning the loss of 26-year-old Christian Childers. He died on Monday, leaving behind his fiancé and two boys.

Flooding from Hurricane Ian led to mold inside their Englewood home. Childers’ fiancé explained that he has asthma and after he was exposed to the mold, it led to serious health conditions.

Elliot recalled that everything started after Hurricane Ian. Their Englewood home flooded like so many. Shortly after when they went without power for weeks, mold grew inside their house. “Got a little Florida heat and created mold so it just started growing out of control,” Elliot said.

Soon after, a pipe burst inside their house. Elliot said that’s when the mold got worse, as did Childers’ health. He was admitted to the hospital. Christmas Eve was the last time Elliot saw him not in a hospital bed hooked up to dozens of wires and tubes.

“He has asthma so he went into anaphylactic shock due to the poisoning of the mold which set him out into cardiac arrest, which stopped him from getting blood to the brain, so clinically he was pronounced dead,” Elliot said. 

Doctor Gupta, an associate professor and program director of public health at Florida Gulf Coast University, explained mold can be toxic and especially dangerous for someone with asthma. 

“Mold-induced anaphylaxis can cause death if not treated promptly,” he said. “In sensitive individuals with pre-existing asthma, molds can trigger an acute attack of asthma that can be life-threatening if left untreated. 

Published on January 3, 2023 by WTSP.