Hotel Housekeeper Hospitalized After Encountering Mystery Substance

A housekeeper at the Park Hyatt New York was hospitalized Tuesday after encountering a powdery white substance in one of the hotel’s rooms.

Initial tests on the residue came back positive for traces of an explosive substance, prompting an evacuation of the hotel’s 11^th floor. However, all subsequent tests came back negative.

NYPD officials are still piecing together the story. But is believed that a family, who checked out of the hotel around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, may have dropped one of their five keys.

A suspect — identified through surveillance video — swiped into the 11^th-floor room around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night and left around 10:30 a.m. the next morning.

The suspect, John Taddei of Queens — described as “homeless” and with 16 previous “low level” arrests — is now in custody.

The housekeeper encountered the substance, which was near the bathroom sink, when she came to clean the room on Tuesday.

Around 1:20 p.m., she became dizzy and nauseous, and was hospitalized. She is expected to make a full recovery.

According to WABC, Taddei told detectives the substance was talcum powder that he used after showering.