A family renting a home in Hemet, California got a shock they never saw coming, and it came from directly beneath their feet. Journey Matthews, who lives in the house with her husband and their children, says she had no idea anyone was living in a crawl space under the home until a carbon monoxide alarm started going off last Friday.
Her husband and brother-in-law, D’Angelo Phillips, followed the sound and pried open a board leading into the space below the house. What they found was unsettling. There was an extension cord running power into the area, along with a fan, a brand new bottle of Murphy’s Oil Soap, laundry detergent, a tarp covered in clothing, and a bag that appeared to contain drugs.
The family had been renting the home for three months without knowing a thing about their unexpected downstairs neighbor. Matthews said she has never seen the person or people responsible, but they may very well have seen her and her kids coming and going. That’s the kind of detail that turns an odd house quirk into a genuinely unnerving situation for any parent.
The home itself was built back in 1903, so a mysterious crawl space isn’t exactly out of character for a house that old. What is out of character is the idea that someone was quietly living in it while a family with young children slept upstairs, completely unaware.
A Frustrating Wait For Answers
Matthews says she contacted Pro Management, the company overseeing the property, but got no response for two days straight. When she finally reached someone, a representative confirmed the company does manage the home but claimed they had never been told about the situation, despite Matthews saying she texted them the same day she discovered it. She also says nobody mentioned anything unusual about the property during her walkthrough before signing the lease.
Matthews called Hemet police, and an officer came out to investigate. They didn’t find anyone in the crawl space at the time, but cleared the area and told her to call again if anyone shows up. So far, nobody has.
Neighbors Say This Isn’t Exactly Shocking
A few neighbors told local reporters they weren’t entirely surprised by the discovery, noting that the previous tenant at the property had a reputation for being problematic. That’s not exactly a comforting detail for a family just trying to settle into a new rental.
Renting a home comes with plenty of unknowns, but “who else might be living here” shouldn’t be one of them. Property managers exist for exactly this kind of situation, and a two day silence isn’t a great look when a tenant is reporting a possible safety issue involving their kids. Hopefully this gets sorted out quickly and thoroughly.