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Elderly Woman With Hoarding Problem To Move Back Into Home

Posted: 5:13 pm MDT August 27, 2008Updated: 8:49 pm MDT August 27, 2008

An Upper Valley hoarding problem gets cleaned up, and the police said their work is done cleaning up tons of trash, debris and clutter.

"The end result was 14 roll offs and a roll off is not a trash Dumpster, a trash Dumpster is a micro version of a roll off," said Curtis Whitener with the El Paso Police Department, talking about how much they picked up over a two-week period.

The police department has finished, and they said the elderly woman is moving back into her home, but neighbors think more needs to be done.

"As far as I saw, and I witnessed, the house needs to be thoroughly clean before anyone can live in there, anyone, animal or human being," said Sonia Smith from the Upper Valley.

"I can't imagine anybody moving back into that. It's infested with mice, mosquitoes, there's droppings all over the place, possibly Hanta virus, I wouldn't even go in there," said Mike Olbrisch, also from the Upper Valley.

The police department does believe some cleaning is necessary.

"I personally wouldn't want to live there at this stage, it does need some interior cleaning. Meaning somebody to go through really with a mop, clean under beds, clean shelves, pull down things that are dusty," said Whitener.

Adult Protective Services would not comment on the case because of confidentiality issues, but they said their top concern is the safety and welfare of the elderly woman. An Adult Protective Services spokesman also said they would not move the woman into the home if it is not safe.

"I don't think it's healthy to be in that situation, I mean it even smells bad, very, very bad," said Smith.

"I'm real optimistic, I think APS will go in there and finish that up," said Whitener.

As far as the rodent and mosquito issue, the police department said they have had exterminators at the home three different times.

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