Dead, decomposed bat found in food donation bin at Ardrey Kell High

Ardrey Kell High School students returned to campus Friday after it was closed for two days due to the discovery of several bats, school officials said.

However, after cleaning, a dead, decomposed bat was discovered in a food donation bin, according to a letter the school sent to parents.

District officials believe the bat had been in the bin for a while and was overlooked during the cleanup after more than 20 bats were discovered on campus.

We understand that the continued presence of bats in the building is disturbing,” CMS stated in a news release.

The students and staff members are not at risk, officials said.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control confirmed 21 bats were tested at a state lab and came back negative for rabies.

The bats were eradicated and potential spots where bats could get in were closed off after bats were found on campus earlier.

Animal Care & Control is working with the Mecklenburg County Health Department and CMS will continue to follow rabies testing protocol if there is an exposure.

No bats were found inside or around the building Thursday.

CMS told Channel 9′s Dan Matics that someone reported seeing two bats on March 17 and they tried to block entry points for the animals. By the time spring break ended last week, almost 30 bats were found on the third and fourth floors of the school.

The Mecklenburg County Department of Public Health said they weren’t made aware of this issue until Monday night.

Chris Hunnicutt with City Wide Exterminating, a different company CMS has contracted, told Channel 9 that usually a one-way door would be installed. That would allow the bats to leave and not return, but in this case, they must be tested because they carry rabies and other diseases.

“When they’re in a space like that. A living space. A school space. You have to collect them, hold them and have them tested,” Hunnicutt said.

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There has not been any sign of disease in the bats or any human exposure, according to the school.

Letter sent to parents on Friday:

“Today, Friday, April 21, we found one dead bat in the bottom of a Mr. AK bin used to collect non-perishable foods for donation.

“These large bins have been in the mall area all week and the week before break, as part of our Mr. AK competition. The bat was decomposing, and thus we believe it had been in the bottom of the bin for quite some time and was overlooked in the cleanup of the building. We understand that the continued presence of bats in the building is disturbing.

“However, our contracted bat eviction vendor, Mecklenburg County Public Health (MCPH) and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools risk management team determined that the safety and well-being of our students, teachers and staff are not compromised following the bat eviction and thorough clean-up of the school. All bats that were collected since the start of the small infestation were tested for rabies and found to be negative.

“We acknowledge your concerns and will continue to keep you apprised of any issues in the building. If you have any questions, please direct them to me or to the front desk at Ardrey Kell High School. Thank you for your continued support of Ardrey Kell High School. Have a good afternoon.”

CMS and other health and safety agencies worked together to resolve the issue with the following steps:

• The vendor managing the bat eviction has been onsite and completed a thorough search of the building and removal of any bats.

• As of today, no bats have been discovered inside or around the building. There is NO evidence of a bat colony in the building.

• When the bats were first seen and reported in March, remediation was put in place at a large gap that was found in a wall where the bats were suspected of entering the building. This week, additional remediation has been put in various locations to stop any subsequent bat intrusion.

• As an added step, over the next two weekends, the entire roofline will be sealed.

• Bats that were found in the building were sent to the state lab for rabies testing and the results have been negative.

• Bat guano was not detected during the inspection of the school. However, as a precaution, the building is being thoroughly sanitized with green seal-certified products approved by the EPA.

• Public Health confirmed one human exposure connected to this incident. No further details can be shared.

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