Three members of a Delaware family potentially poisoned by a pesticide while on vacation in the Virgin Islands remain in critical condition Monday.
Steve Esmond, 49, is paralyzed and unable to talk or move while his teenage sons, ages 16 and 14, are both in a coma at a Philadelphia hospital,
attorney James Maron told CNN Saturday. Esmond's wife, Theresa Devine, has been released from the hospital.
"The boys are in rough shape," Maron said. "The family are all fighters. "They're fighting for everything right now. I understand it's a long recovery."
Elias Rodriguez, an Environmental Protection Agency spokesman, told CNN that the agency's preliminary test results showed "that there was a presence of methyl bromide in the unit where the family was staying."
Exposure to methyl bromide can result in serious health effects, including central nervous system and respiratory system damage, according to the EPA.
Pesticides used near the villa were suspected early on as a possible caused for the poisoning,
Sea Glass Vacations told WPVI-TV in a statement last month.
"We are also aware that authorities are actively investigating the possibility that the illnesses were due to chemicals used for pest control," the statement read. "The unit immediately below Villa Capri was recently treated for pests by Terminix, however, Villa Capri itself had not been so treated. With respect to questions you may have regarding the application of chemicals, we direct you to Terminix."
"Sea Glass Vacations does not treat the units it manages for pests but instead relies on licensed professionals for pest control services," the statement continued. "We are committed to full cooperation with all the authorities currently investigating this matter. However, as a rental management company, we generally do not share information about the affairs of our clients and customers with the media, and therefore will not comment further at this time."
Judith Enck, an EPA administrator, told ABC News that the Justice Department is investigating Terminix in connection to the case. Terminix has stopped fumigation in the Virgin Islands as the investigation continues, Peter Tosches, the company's senior vice president of corporate communications, said.
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