WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Tempers heated up at a Mid-South apartment complex.
A person inside a West Memphis landlord’s apartment did not take kindly to WREG’s cameras after a mother with a broken air-conditioning unit called WREG for help.
The story started in Tenisha Washington’s apartment at Bent Creek Townhomes.
“This has been the third time that my air has went out,” she said.
Her daughters were playing with Barbies next to box fans in a 90-degree apartment.
“It was hot last night,” Washington said. “I can’t let them suffer. They’re innocent.”
Washington said she begged her landlord for help, but the landlord told her air conditioning is not needed. The region has been seeing heat indices in excess of 100 degrees.
Washington said she checked into a motel after her landlord refused to help.
“I’m like, it’s a heat advisory — think about the children,” Washington said. “She hung up the phone in my face. I got pissed off.”
The landlord, Tamiko Pulliam, did not like the attention WREG brought to the situation. Someone inside her home threatened to shoot photographer Robert Rowan and later called police.
When Pulliam rolled up to the WREG news truck and was questioned about the threats, she said it wasn’t her. However, she said the only people in the apartment were “me and Jesus.”
Pulliam also said Washington was asking for too much when she wanted help to fix the air conditioning.
“I was not going to accommodate that,” she said.