INDIANAPOLIS — Just about everything the Perez family owns is in the living room of their first-floor apartment at the Wellington Village Apartment complex on the east side of Indianapolis. Clothes, furniture, toys and food are among the items sitting on a drenched carpet.
They're hoping to keep as much of it as dry as they can and see what's salvageable.
"They were actually serving lunch for them on Christmas morning," said Caridad Ventura, a family friend and translator. "That's when it started."
A pipe burst on the floor above, sending water through the ceiling and vents, leaving debris everywhere.
"We had to leave because we didn't have another choice," said Alexa Perez, who has lived in the apartment for a year. "We had to leave on Sunday night and spend it in the car until we found someone that gave us shelter at that time we were looking."
But the family of four had no long-term plan, which consists of living day-by-day with two children, including a 7-year-old daughter.
"She has paralysis, brain paralysis and convulsions," Perez said. "Right now, I can't take care of my daughter the way that she needs."
Ventura has been trying to get them help.
"This morning. she called me and I translated for them, and they told me they were looking into seeing if they could get them into another unit, but that's something the manager has to decide," Ventura said. "Right now, we haven't heard anything else."
"They won't listen to us, they just ignore us, and right now, we don't know," said Perez.
13News reached out to the Wellington Village Apartments for a comment but did not hear back by the time of the publishing of this story.
The Perez family also said they've had issues with this property's management since they moved in. Most recently, it's been an issue over the apartment's heat, which they told us hasn't been on since early November.
"We've always had that, even from last year, and they come and check it out, but nothing has been resolved," Perez said. "We have had bills up to $500 for one month. They haven't resolved anything."
The family is searching for a solution.
"Right now, I just want a place to live where I can take my kids' stuff," Perez said. "Something that can give us the peace and quiet and be able to take care of our kids. Right now, it's been three days and we don't have an answer yet."