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Raccoons fall through ceiling, attack a Kansas City woman sleeping in bed: lawsuit

Rabies can often be found in wild animals, including raccoons.
Rabies can often be found in wild animals, including raccoons. Fresno Bee Staff Photo

A Kansas City woman has filed suit against a property management company, saying that poor maintenance at her rented apartment caused several raccoons to fall through her ceiling and onto her head while she slept.

Amanda Howery, 49, was living in a property on E. 82nd Street in Kansas City, managed by Sage Door Property Management, when the alleged wildlife incident happened in 2023, according to the lawsuit filed Aug. 16.

Howery was asleep in bed on Feb. 14, 2023, when the raccoons fell through her ceiling, the lawsuit states.

Howery said she was attacked by the the raccoons and reporting multiple injuries for which she was hospitalized, according to the lawsuit.

Howery said she was aware her ceiling had been damaged before the incident, the lawsuit states, and that she had informed her landlords about the damage.

Based in Blue Springs, Sage Door Property Management oversees multiple rental properties in the Kansas City metropolitan area, focused mainly on standalone houses.

The building where Howery lived during the attack is owned by SC REI LLC, a Colorado investment corporation also named in the lawsuit.

Representatives for Safe Door, SC REI and Howery were not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

Ilana Arougheti
The Kansas City Star
Ilana Arougheti (they/she) is The Kansas City Star’s Jackson County watchdog reporter, covering local government and accountability issues with a focus on eastern Jackson County .They are a graduate of Northwestern University, where she studied journalism, sociology and gender studies. Ilana most recently covered breaking news for The Star and previously wrote for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Raleigh News & Observer. Feel free to reach out with questions or tips! Support my work with a digital subscription
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