Hissing, screaming, and thumping | Reston renter says she can't get anyone to remove the raccoon family in her attic

RESTON, Va. — After three months of noises in her attic, a Reston renter has reached her wits end. Melissa Barrickman has been dealing with "uninvited house guests" since March 28, and despite calls to police and pleas to her condo management company, a mama raccoon and her kits remain in her apartment at Parc Reston. 

Barrickman says she and her dog can't even sleep anymore because they've gotten so loud. She says the first time she noticed her unwelcome friend the apparently pregnant raccoon had pushed aside flashing under the eaves, moved into the attic, and was climbing down onto her balcony. 

"I went to go out and they tried to come in," she said, still alarmed at the thought of it. 

Barrickman – and her support dog Ritchie – are terrified.

"Ritchie is really scared," she said, as Ritchie started growling. "We call it the monster in the ceiling." 

The raccoon is nesting in the attic right above her bedroom. 

"It sounds like they’re coming through," she said. "I mean they’re digging, screaming, you know, scratching. It’s horrible. It’s scary." 

Barrickman said it's only gotten worse since the raccoon had her babies. 

"Now there’s many of them up there ... all you hear is digging, howling, thumping," Barrickman said. 

Fairfax County Police say if there’s a raccoon in your actual living area, an animal protection officer will come out and take care of it. But if it’s in your attic, unfinished basement, or garage, you’re on your own and have to hire a private animal control company.

"I’ve called everybody to try and get help," Barrickman said. "They will not help." 

That includes her condo management company, Legum and Norman. Barrickman is disabled and getting a housing subsidy to pay to rent her apartment. She said the condo manager told her she couldn't hire a private contractor on her own, because she's not an owner in the building. 

After three months of racket in the attic, Barrickman reached out to WUSA9 hoping to pressure the management company to do something. Someone with Legum and Norman emailed WUSA9 saying she was very sorry to hear about the raccoon in the attic. She said she'd try and reach the on-site manager and would respond further.