Delaware family, pesticide poisoning has halted what has to be a lavish vacation for a family of four in the Caribbean.
Investigation is now ongoing for the Delaware family, pesticide poisoning incident that left an entire Delaware family ill while they were having vacation at Sirenusa resort in the Caribbean island of St. John.
Steven Esmond, his wife, Dr. Theresa Devine, both 49, and their two sons, Sean, 16, and Ryan, 14 were airlifted after they exhibited adverse effects upon exposure to pesticide methyl bromide that was sprayed on the same day of March 19, ABC News reported.
The paramedics rushed the Delaware family to two different hospitals in the U.S. mainland. After their exposure to the pesticide methyl bromide, the children had immediate seizures.
Fox News reported that the boys have remained unresponsive for two weeks now while Steven Osmond has already regained consciousness. Dr. Theresa Devine is now home and recovering.
Judith Enck, Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 2 Office in the U.S. Virgin Islands stated that the Delaware family, pesticide poisoning occurred while they were renting an $800-a-night in the lavish resort.
On March 19, the Fumigation Company in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Terminix, applied the pesticide in the apartment below the Esmond's. Apparently, the apartment was sprayed with the banned chemical to deal with indoor bugs. The same night, the Delaware family pesticide poisoning happened.
Methyl Bromide was reportedly prohibited for indoor use since 1984.
Enck said that they are probing a likely connection between the banned pesticide and the Delaware family pesticide poisoning.
"Pesticides can be very toxic, and it is critically important that they be applied properly and used only as approved by the EPA," Enck stated.
"The EPA is actively working to determine how this happened and will make sure steps are taken to prevent this from happening to others at these vacation apartments or elsewhere."
According to EPA Methyl bromide used to fumigate soil and control pests in the agricultural sectors has been phased out since Jan. 2005 due to its detrimental effect of depleting the ozone layer.
The New York Daily News reported that aside from the EPA agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources are all coordinating to establish and solve the root cause and give justice to the affected Delaware family of pesticide poisoning.
