CONROE, Texas – A Texas A&M student says what was supposed to be the start of her college dream quickly turned into a health crisis, one she believes was caused by toxic mold in her dorm room.
Leah Courington graduated high school with an associate degree and began her freshman year at Texas A&M University in the fall of 2023. She moved into Keathley Hall, where she lived for about five weeks before her health rapidly declined.
Within weeks of move-in day, Courington was hospitalized.
“My body’s shutting down,” Courington said. “There were days I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t make it to classes, and I was like, ‘Why am I here? What am I doing?’”
In a lawsuit filed against Texas A&M, which has since been dismissed, Courington alleged she became seriously ill due to mold in her dorm room.
According to the court filing, an independent mold inspection found elevated levels of aspergillus/penicillium, Cladosporium, and Chaetomium in the bathroom, wall cavity, and shower area of the room. The lawsuit stated the dorm was small and compact, allowing mold exposure from the bathroom to easily contaminate the entire living space.
The inspector’s report described the room as “unfit for human occupancy.”
The lawsuit further alleged Courington had no alternative housing available at the time and suffered numerous health issues following the exposure, including brain fog, extreme fatigue, chest pain, coughing, insomnia, migraines, skin and eye irritation, joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, and emotional distress.
Courington and her mother, Becky Courington, say they raised concerns about a dark area in the dorm room and asked university staff to test it.
Leah says while housing officials came twice, the area was never swabbed.
“I asked them to swab it, and they did not,” Courington said.
Becky Courington said her daughter continued getting sick.
“She just kept getting sick over and over again, and it just kept getting worse,” she said.
The family ultimately hired a private mold inspector at their own expense.
“We needed clear, definitive answers to know how to approach this and get her healthy again,” Becky Courington said.
She said the inspector condemned the room and many of Leah’s belongings.
The lawsuit was filed and later dismissed after a judge ruled in favor of Texas A&M.
Kristina Baehr, the Courington family’s attorney, said the dismissal was based on legal immunity.
“Unfortunately, under state and federal law, governments are entitled to certain immunities,” Baehr said. “In this case, the court found that one of those immunities applies.”
Baehr also criticized the university’s handling of the situation.
“The court found that the university didn’t have notice,” she said. “Well, they didn’t have notice because they didn’t test.”
Despite the dismissal, Baehr says the case brought attention to a broader issue.
“She brought attention to a very important issue and raised it to the highest levels of A&M,” Baehr said. “Even though we may have lost the case in court, we won the case of public opinion.”
Experts say mold in college dorms is a growing concern nationwide, impacting public and private universities of all sizes.
According to air quality experts at Mold U, there have been more than 200 confirmed reports of mold in college dorms across the country. Nonprofit organizations say mold can develop due to burst pipes, leaks, high indoor humidity, and aging HVAC systems.
The nonprofit Change the Air Foundation recommends students regularly clean their living spaces, wipe up spills promptly, keep windows and doors closed while air conditioning is running, and immediately report concerns to housing officials.
Watching her daughter’s health decline was devastating, Becky Courington said.
“It was incredibly frightening to watch her decline,” she said.
She encourages parents and students to trust their instincts.
“Pay attention to the surroundings,” she said. “Look for bubbling paint, cracking paint, anything growing on the walls. And trust your child.”
While she hates what her daughter went through, Becky says she’s grateful the symptoms were severe enough to force answers.
“I thank God Leah had such an extreme reaction,” she said. “Otherwise, we would not have known. The long-term effects of mycotoxin exposure are terrifying.”
Despite everything, Leah says her love for Texas A&M hasn’t changed.
“I bleed maroon,” she said. “I adore the students, the professors, the traditions — everything.”
Courington is now planning to return to Texas A&M to pursue her master’s degree in public health.
KPRC 2 reached out to Texas A&M University for comment but did not receive a response.