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CANNON FALLS, Minn. (WCCO) ― The Kellers thought they found their dream home in Cannon Falls, Minn. until they started remodeling. That's when they uncovered a hidden mess that could cost them tens of thousands of dollars to clean up.

Krista and Justin Keller thought they had the perfect plan.

They'd buy the split-level home in the country, and soon enough, kids would be on the way. They never expected the dreams would be dashed by methamphetamines.

"We were so naive about this whole thing. We don't know anything about drugs," said Krista. "We bought every book on the shelf about buying a house."

The couple had saved for years to buy the home in Cannon Falls. It was close to Krista's work as an elementary school teacher, and it had six acres to roam.

They bought in December 2006 after it passed an inspection done by the inspectors and by the Kellers.

"We were looking at the foundation. We were looking for water in the basement. We were looking at the structure. We were looking at the roof," Krista said. "We did our research. It's not like we went in blind."

However, three days after they moved in, Krista started seeing things she found odd. She thought the painted black window and the vents in the shed were strange. She wondered why the shed was locked from the inside. She didn't understand why the former owners left fuel tanks behind.

Krista didn't do much aside from Internet research because each of those things could be explained away. However, eventually, the nagging feeling got to Krista. In June, she asked a neighbor about the previous owners.

"She looked me in the eye and said 'I'm going to tell you because you asked me directly. They were cooking meth out here for years,'" she said.

Hours later, Krista and Justin left the house. They would only return for short visits for moving out or environmental testing. They were afraid of any adverse health effects.

"I was just more angry than anything," said Justin.

Krista called the Cannon Falls Police Department and Goodhue County Sheriff's Office for any complaints for that home. At first, she was told said there were none, but eventually Krista found three. All of them involved domestic disputes.

According to one of the police reports, one of the owners threw a baggie at police and told them it was meth. The officer tested the baggie and it came up negative.

The Goodhue County Sheriff said his deputies always had suspicions about that family but never enough for a search warrant or an arrest. There was never any public record of drug activity in the home.

No public records allowed the previous owners to tell the Kellers there had never been meth in the home.

On a seller's property disclosure form, they checked off the box that read, "Seller is not aware of any methamphetamine production has occurred on the property." That disclosure became law in Minnesota in 2005 under the comprehensive meth legislation.

It says, in part, if the seller or transferor fails to disclose, to the best of their knowledge methamphetamine production on the property, he or she is liable to the buyer or transferee for remediation costs and reasonable attorney fees. There are no criminal penalties for lying on the form.

WCCO-TV left messages the previous owner's attorney twice. He did not return the calls. WCCO-TV also called the realtor twice. He did not return the call.

Landmark Environmental did a $1,500 study on their property in the end of June. They found meth levels in the basement 46 times higher than what the state allows.

During arbitration, a judge ruled the previous owners had to pay the Kellers $100,000. So far, they haven't seen a cent. Krista said their lawyer said they did not have the money to pay.

"The law at every turn would protect someone else and not us," said Justin. "Every time without fail."

The Kellers were told it would cost up to $30,000 to clean their home, but they don't want to move back because they are worried about long-term health effects.

"I don't know if I'd ever feel safe there," she said. "Once we have kids, I don't want to wonder if someone else's crime is going to affect my life. It's just not something I want to take a risk with."

Instead, the Kellers have talked to lawmakers about making changes to the law. State Rep. Doug Magnus has looked into their situation.

"This is an eye-opener for us," he said.

One proposal is to make it a crime to lie on the disclosure forms. Another might be more continuing education for realtors about meth.

Magnus is reluctant to propose meth testing be required before every home purchase because it would increase the price by about $1,000. Instead, he is looking at a less expensive way to check for meth in the septic system.

He expects to propose legislation early in the session.

As for Krista and Justin, they see foreclosure as their best option. It will ruin their credit and push back their timetable for children for at least five years, but at least they'd be rid of the home.

"We just want to leave it in the past. We just want to start over," said Krista.

 

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