Mother sues Airbnb after son dies from carbon monoxide poisoning in Brazil

By Alexa Velez

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    NAPLES, Florida (WBBH) — A Naples mother is suing Airbnb after her 24-year-old son died from carbon monoxide poisoning while staying in a rental apartment in Brazil.

Sebastian Mejia had been living abroad for eight months, studying Indigenous communities. He had a bachelor’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean studies and international affairs, with a minor in Portuguese.

He was pursuing his master’s degree at New York University.

But on Oct. 5, 2022, he stepped into the shower of his Rio de Janeiro Airbnb — and never came out.

His mother, Rosa Martinez, says a faulty gas water heater inside the bathroom let out deadly levels of carbon monoxide.

“Well, what happened was that there was a gas water heater installed, apparently without the proper permissions, without the proper maintenance. So, apparently, Sebastian wanted to take a hot shower, turned on the water heater, and he died from carbon monoxide poisoning,” Martinez said.

According to the lawsuit filed against Airbnb, the water heater’s exhaust duct was damaged and improperly installed.

Photos shared by Martinez’s attorney appear to show the duct disconnected and venting inside the bathroom, where Sebastian’s body was found the next day.

Martinez says she’s not suing for money — she’s suing to save lives.

“Hopefully, Airbnb actually is going to be the company that is going to start making the changes to save lives, it’s just simple changes. They’re not expensive. I mean, a carbon monoxide detector costs less than $30, and even if they don’t want to do it, why don’t they create an I have a message saying, you’re renting this unit, please think about bringing your own carbon monoxide detector,” she said.

Airbnb said in a statement:

“The loss of a loved one is a tragedy and we extend our deep sympathy to the Mejia family.

On background:

While we cannot comment on litigation, sharing some information on our CO and safety efforts:

We encourage hosts to install a CO detector for listings that have fuel-burning appliances. Listings that report having one are clearly marked for guests. If a guest books a listing where detectors aren’t reported, we flag this to them in booking confirmation and reminder emails, along with a recommendation to bring a portable detector. Guests can also ask hosts questions before booking through in-platform messaging.

We run a global, industry-leading carbon monoxide initiative that has given away over 280,000 free combined smoke and CO detectors to hosts. Alongside this, we run global and local campaigns to increase community awareness, and have partnered with safety experts – like the International Association of Fire Chiefs and American Red Cross – to produce and promote CO education resources and training.

When we’re alerted to a reported issue, we take action, up to removal of the listing or host from the platform. We provide 24/7 customer support, and a 24-hour safety line, so guests and hosts can directly reach our specialized safety team for help during a stay.”

The lawsuit demands that Airbnb remove all active listings that don’t have carbon monoxide alarms. It also calls for the company to require three major safety measures in all of its rentals:

The use of life-saving devices such as carbon monoxide alarms, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers.

The inspection of fuel-burning appliances.

Compliance with applicable building regulations as it pertains to carbon monoxide and fire-related hazards.

“If they would have taken those actions, my son probably would have still been alive and we would have been celebrating his 27th birthday tomorrow,” Martinez said.

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