Houston family's 'perfect home' turned out to be a former marijuana grow house

BEFORE PHOTOS: These photos were taken in October 2012 by the Houston Police Department after they investigated Andrew Nguyen for growing marijuana in his home on Willow Wind Lane. BEFORE PHOTOS: These photos were taken in October 2012 by the Houston Police Department after they investigated Andrew Nguyen for growing marijuana in his home on Willow Wind Lane. Photo: Harris County District Attorney's Office Photo: Harris County District Attorney's Office Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Houston family's 'perfect home' turned out to be a former marijuana grow house 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

A Houston family is embroiled in a legal battle with the previous owners of their home after they discovered their house was once used to grow large amounts of marijuana.

The home on Willow Wind Lane was everything Vinnie and Monique Nguyen were looking for when they moved in August 2015, the family's attorney George Edwards said in a news release. The property was eventually rented to their daughter and her family.

"A few months into them moving into the home, son Jimmy Phan, Jr. began to suffer from respiratory difficulties. Soon thereafter, their young daughter also began to suffer from the same respiratory difficulties and had to be hospitalized," Edwards said.

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Renovations were ultimately done on the home which uncovered mold behind the walls, in the ceiling, and underneath the floors, Edwards said. This wasn't the only thing the Nguyen family uncovered.

In October 2012, the home's previous owner, Andrew Nguyen, had been charged by the Houston Police Department with possession of nearly 100 pounds of marijuana plants found throughout the interior of the house, according to the HPD police record.

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"Affiant along with other Houston Police Officers entered the premises at the above referenced address and saw the following things: in every room of the house which included the living room, the kitchen, the family room and numerous bedrooms a plant like substance that affiant recognized to be marijuana by its smell and by its appearance was being grown, cultivated, harvested, or processed for distribution," HPD added in its report.

Andrew Nguyen pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and was placed on probation, according to court documents.

The Nguyen's have since sued Andrew Nguyen for failing to "disclose their awareness

of previous water penetration onto and into the property," civil court documents state.

Andrew Nguyen's attorney Mitchell Katine believes his client is a victim who did not know about any mold. Katine also told Chron.com that his client reduced the price of the house by $6,000.

"They did not cover anything up. They offered the buyers any inspection they wanted," Katine said. "There is no evidence that the marijuana growing caused any mold."

The parties are due back in court Aug. 27.

Fernando Alfonso III is a digital reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @fernalfonso.