A Florida family that became seriously unwell after returning from a vacation made a shocking discovery about their neighbour after installing hidden cameras around their home.
When Tampa-based couple Umar and Samira Abdullah returned home after travelling, they felt like something was not right when they smelt a 'weird chemical smell' in their apartment.
But, they couldn't figure out where the smell was coming from.
The couple started feeling unwell and their ten-month-old daughter stopped eating and began to behave strangely.
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Initially, they assumed they'd caught some sort of bug during their trip to Ohio and decided to rest for a few days, hoping the symptoms would start to improve.
But things became a lot more serious when both Umar and their baby starting losing clumps of their hair.
The couple enlisted the help of their landlord to figure out what was going on, but they couldn't find any gas leaks in the apartment.
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Then, Umar noticed something strange by the front door, prompting him to set up a hidden security camera in a nearby plant pot.
It was then that the family made a horrifying discovery.
They claimed that the camera caught their downstairs neighbour Xuming Li, 36, allegedly spraying a liquid onto their door frame.
According to complaints made by the couple, the substance contained toxic chemicals comprised of the opioids methadone and hydrocodone.
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Li had allegedly previously complained about excessive noise coming from the Abdullahs' apartment, claiming he could hear footsteps and the toilet seat squeaking.
Umar had tried to address the problem but couldn't find any evidence of noise.
The family claimed that the former University of Florida student had been harassing them.
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Umar told local news outlet WFLA: "Even during war, the worst enemies do not attack the opponent, the other party, with chemicals."
After surveillance footage was handed to the police, Li was arrested on June 27, 2023.
It was later revealed to Fox News Digital that Li had been deported and is unlikely to face charges in the US unless he returns to the country.
"He was on a student visa and got expelled from school, so once the appropriate sources were notified of this, it cancelled his visa," the China national's attorney Adam Bantner said.
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Li, who had been working towards his doctorate in chemistry, has pleaded not guilty to number of charges, including battery, stalking and possession of a controlled substance.