Woman, 72, moves after finding snakes in apartment

[October 11, 2008]  MIDDLETOWN, Del. (AP) -- When 72-year-old Gladys Dressner first saw two snakes last in her new apartment last month, she froze. Days later, when an eight-inch snake crawled across her bed, she screamed. Finally, after stepping on a baby black rat snake, she moved.

A Maryland exterminator killed six snakes that were captured in Dressner's Middletown apartment. All six were about eight inches long and harmless. The exterminator suspects a previous tenant kept an adult snake as a pet.

Dressner, who has high blood pressure, diabetes and a heart condition, wrote a letter to her property managers demanding to be moved to a new apartment.

Property manager John Mastriana said she won't have to pay October's rent or moving costs.

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Information from: The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal, http://www.delawareonline.com

[Associated Press]

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