>>> A DREAM VACATION IN THE U.S.
VIRGIN ISLANDS TURNED INTO A 
NIGHTMARE FOR ONE DELAWARE 
FAMILY.
APPARENTLY OVER TIME, THE FAMILY
WAS FOUND IN THEIR VILLA ON ST. 
JOHN ISLAND AND THE FATHER WAS 
IN A COMA AND THE TWO BOYS AND 
THE MOM WERE SUFFERING FROM 
SEVERE SEIZURES.
OFFICIALS SAY A PESTICIDE AT 
THEIR RENTED LUXURY VILLA MAY BE
TO BLAME AND THE JUSTICE 
DEPARTMENT IS NOW LAUNCHING A 
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.
SARAH GANNAM JOINS ME WITH MORE 
FROM NEW YORK.
HOW IS THE FAMILY DOING?
HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN BEFORE 
ANYONE NOTICED THEY HADN'T SEEN 
THE FAMILY TO FIND HEM IN A COMA
OR SEIZURES?
>> I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH
A FAMILY ATTORNEY AND I HAVE TO 
TELL YOU, UNFORTUNATELY, THE 
PARENTS ARE DOING A LITTLE BIT 
BETTER BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE 
BOYS ARE STILL IN PRETTY BAD 
SHAPE.
THE ATTORNEY TOLD ME THEY WERE 
"IN ROUGH SHAPE" AND I WANT TO 
RUN THROUGH THIS FOR YOU.
THE PARENTS TERESA DEVINE AND 
STEVE ESMOND ARE DOING BETTER 
BUT THEIR TEENAGE SON SEAN WHO 
IS 16 YEARS OLD AND THEIR SON 
RYAN, WHO IS JUST 1 YEARS OLD 
STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT A
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
THE FAMILY WAS AIR LIFTED BACK 
TO MAINLAND UNITED STATES AFTER 
FALLING ILL AFTER A FUMIGATION 
OF THE VILLA BENEATH THE ONE 
WHERE THEY WERE STAYING ON ST. 
JOHN.
THIS WAS SCARY, FRED, THE OLDER 
BOY HAD BLOOD IN HIS LUNGS, HIS 
HEART WAS FAILING.
ONE OF THE BOYS HAS BRAIN DAMAGE
RIGHT NOW.
THE FATHER HE'S NOW AWAKE, BUT 
HE CAN'T TALK, AND THE MOTHER 
HAS BEEN RELEASED TO 
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BECAUSE SHE
HAD A LESSER DEGREE OF EXPOSURE,
THE ATTORNEY TOLD ME, BUT HE 
ALSO SAID THIS IS A LONG 
RECOVERY.
METHYLBROMIDE IS LIKE SARIN GAS.
IT ATTACKS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, 
AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY SAYS TRACES OF IT WERE 
FOUND IN THE FAMILY'S VILLA, 
EVEN THOUGH THE FUMIGATION WAS 
DONE BELOW.
METHYLBROMIDE IS NOT ALLOWED TO 
BE USED INDOORS BECAUSE OF ACUTE
TOXICITY.
THE EPA HAS A RESTRICTION ON IT.
THE RESORT, WHICH IS OWNED BY 
SEAGLASS VACATIONS, TOLD US THE 
PEST CONTROL COMPANY TERMINIX 
FUMIGATED MARCH 18th, SMACK DAB 
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAMILY'S 
VACATION, NINE DAYS IN THE U.S. 
VIRGIN ISLANDS.
THE EPA CLEARLY STATES 
METHYLBROMIDE IS RESTRICTED 
BECAUSE IT'S ODORLESS AND CAUSES
INJURY TO THE LUNG AND TO THE 
NERVOUS SYSTEMS AND COULD BE 
FATAL IF IT'S INHALED.
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 
HAS NOW OPENED A CRIMINAL 
INVESTIGATION, THE EPA IS 
MONITORING THE AIR AND 
ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES AT THAT 
RESORT AND WORKING WITH LOCAL 
AGENCIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT 
HAPPENED.
TERMINIX TOLD CNNEN IN AN E-MAIL
IT IS "LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER 
INTERNALLY, COOPERATING WITH 
AUTHORITIES."
THEY SAID "WE'RE THINKING ABOUT 
THE FAMILY AND WE JOIN THE 
COMMUNITY IN WISHING THEM A 
SPEEDY RECOVERY."
A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE EPA TOLD 
CNN IT IS ACTIVELY WORKING TO 
DETERMINE HOW THIS HAPPENED, AND
WILL MAKE SURE STEPS ARE TAKEN 
TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING 
TO OTHERS AT A VACATION 
APARTMENT OR ELSEWHERE, AND JUST
TO WRAP THIS UP, FRED, THE 
ATTORNEY TOLD ME, HE SAID "THIS 
IS THE MOST HORRIFYING STORY IN 
THE WORLD.
>> IT REALLY IS.
OH MY GOSH, THAT IS JUST 
