Juaunia Bates, a 33-year-old woman from Wayne, Michigan, claims she has been barred from re-entering her eighth-floor apartment at Westchester Towers because she is deemed a “fire hazard” due to her weight, which exceeds 800 pounds.
Bates, who gained the weight after witnessing her boyfriend’s murder, shared her story with Fox 2 Detroit. She gained over 200 pounds after witnessing her boyfriend’s murder in 2018, with fear driving her to isolate herself at home.
“It put me in a bad space to where I have, literally, trapped myself in my own body,” she said. The Michigan resident developed severe lymphedema in her legs, leading to painful bedsores that felt like a constant knife twisting in her limbs.
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When the pain became unbearable, she called 911. It took 15 paramedics and firefighters to help her out of her apartment via the elevator after she refused to be removed through the window using ropes.
“I was scared,” she told Fox 2. Corewell Health Wayne Hospital has yet to discharge Bates, who is now appealing to Medicare for an extended stay. Bates claims she has no place to go after her release, as her apartment complex has labeled her a hazard—a claim that the management company disputes.
“Ms. Bates is welcome at Westchester Towers and we look forward to her returning to her home,” Andrew F. Smith, of Princeton Enterprises, who manages the building, told Fox 2. “We are not aware of any restrictions that would prevent her from returning and wish her all the best.”
Management is reportedly preparing a first-floor apartment for her, but she expresses concern that she may not be able to care for herself once she moves in.
“I don’t have the right medical equipment,” she told the outlet. “Medicare and Medicaid doesn’t pay for a lot of things.
“I just needed help. I can’t keep living like this,” she continued. “My worst fear was to go home and not getting any help and just die – that was my worst fear.”
Bates’ social worker is coordinating with personal trainers and physical therapists to aid her recovery. A rehabilitation center in Ohio also reached out, offering her a spot in its new bariatric unit.
Bates hopes to regain her ability to walk, relieve her family from caregiving duties, and move forward with her life. Despite relying on her 53-year-old mother for support, she remains optimistic, believing her situation will improve.
“I just can’t keep living like this. I want to be free.”
