A woman described as having a “zombie-like state of mind” is reportedly causing distress in an upscale Uptown co-op with her erratic behavior. Incidents include urinating in the elevator, vomiting on the floors, and even smearing feces on the walls.
A lawsuit from the building’s cooperative committee highlights the ongoing issues, noting the recent surge in unit prices, with one-bedroom apartments reaching $1.5 million. The complaints also mention alarming hygiene practices and drinking alcohol in shared areas like the laundry room.
The president of the Cooperative Committee emphasized in court documents that they have never encountered anyone quite like April Eidelberg, labeling her as a significant problem for the community.
The lawsuit not only targets April but also includes her mother, Linda Eidelberg, who is being held accountable for not managing her daughter’s troubling actions. The co-op is thus seeking a restraining order, warning of potential eviction for both women.
“It feels like a recipe for disaster,” commented one neighbor in the legal filings.
Lawyers representing the Cooperative Committee opted not to comment further on the case.
April, 59, denied the accusations when approached by a reporter. She suggested that some of the issues might relate to medical problems that lead to bladder issues and past seizures. Remarkably, she noted that she had stopped drinking a few years ago and expressed surprise at the lawsuit.
“Everyone smiles at me, and I smile back. I don’t get where all this is coming from,” she remarked.
Linda, her mother, chose not to provide any comments. She moved into the East 79th Street building back in 2007, according to a neighbor who backed her statement submitted in court.
Neighbors say the atmosphere shifted significantly around seven years ago when April moved in. Deborah Koenigsberg, a resident who lives downstairs, has a vivid memory of meeting her for the first time.
Jason Cole, the board president, noted that the residents have become acutely aware of April’s presence due to her actions. When the current building manager took over in 2021, he was reportedly briefed about April’s behavior by the previous manager.
Records indicate that there have been at least 12 troublesome incidents associated with April, which include vomiting, urinating, and acting drunk in communal areas. A report from March indicated she was found in a service elevator smelling of alcohol, and another from February mentioned blood stains in the hallway, which she attributed to an injury from a rocky beach.
According to the building’s reports, Linda acknowledged that April hadn’t been taking her prescribed anti-seizure medications following a fall earlier this year.
Since 2022, the board has sent several letters outlining accusations against April, stating that she has vomited and urinated in hallways and smeared feces on building walls. When she was questioned about one of these incidents, April simply responded, “Um, no.”
One of the letters from last June referred to an episode where April appeared visibly intoxicated and required assistance to return to the building.
The letter concluded with a message stressing that if there’s a failure to ensure April receives the care she clearly needs, the board will have to take steps to protect the interests of all residents.
