NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
A Kentucky family claims they were bitten from head to toe by bedbugs at a south Nashville hotel.
Leonard and Jessica Martin told Nashville's News 2 a death in the family forced them and their eight-year-old son to quickly plan their trip and stay in Music City.
The couple said they booked and paid up front for one weeks stay at the Scottish Inn at Murfreesboro Road and Fesslers Lane.
Leonard said their stay was going well until their son woke up covered in bumps after the first night.
"I was thinking, okay, it's about that age where he gets Chicken Pox maybe," mother Jessica said.
However, a short time later Jessica noticed her husband also had bumps on his body.
The family said they immediately went to a local doctor for treatment.
"She thought I was camping in the woods. [She] asked me where I'd been staying and I told her at the Scottish Inn and she said, 'Y'all have bitten tremendously,'" Jessica said.
The Leonard family said they called the Metro Health Department who sent an inspector to look at the room.
"There were dead bed bugs and there were bed bug feces," Lyn Eubanks with the health department said.
Eubanks also found that the room had already been treated by motel staff, which is against the law.
She also inspected the room that the family was moved to.
She said she didn't find bed bugs, however sheets inside the room were dirty.
"They had not been changed before they occupied the room, which is what we call a critical violation and that's not allowed," Eubanks explained.
Nashville's News 2 called the hotel regarding the incident and to see if they had any plans of refunding the Martin's money, however, they had no comment.
The Martins said since their money has not been refunded they are forced to stay through the week.
"We're really not even sleeping. We're just up watching," Jessica said.
The Metro Health Department cited the Scottish Inn for the incident.
Officials are expected to return to the hotel to re-inspect the rooms.
