Lyon is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the investigation of Flint's lead-contaminated water, all blamed in the death of an 85-year-old man who had Legionnaires' disease. "Defendant Lyon's acts and failure to act resulted in the death of at least one person", documents filed Tuesday said.
Michigan's state health director was charged Wednesday with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the drinking water contamination crisis in Flint.
Flint's water quality attracted national attention after lead seeped into the city's pipes.
COUNT 1 - HOMICIDE - MANSLAUGHTER - INVOLUNTARY Did cause the death of Robert Skidmore on December 13, 2015, by failing to alert the public about a Legionnaires' Disease outbreak in Flint, Michigan when he had notice that another outbreak would occur; contrary to MCL 750.321.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Lyon was aware of Legionnaires' disease outbreak as soon as 2013 but, did not notify the public until a year later. "The families of Flint have experienced a tragic health and safety crisis for the past three years". Top health officials in the state knew about the outbreak for months, investigators said, but did nothing to warn the public.
The manslaughter charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
White House Says Trump Won't Fire Special Counsel Leading Russia Probe
Investigators also are examining whether Trump campaign associates colluded in any way with Russian intelligence. It is unclear if McCabe, Comey's successor, has informed Trump of the change in the scope of the probe.
After researchers discovered that water in Flint was contaminated with unsafe levels of lead, enough to harm children's developing brains, the crisis became an worldwide story. Lyon is also charged with misconduct in office. Chief Medical Executive Eden Wells, Lyon's subordinate, faces a charge of obstruction of justice and lying to police. He's also facing a misconduct charge over allegations that he tried to obstruct academics who were looking into possible links between Flint's water and the Legionnaires' spike.
The water became contaminated after state-appointed emergency managers in 2014 temporarily switched Flint's water intake from the Detroit River to the Flint River. In a statement, Snyder said Lyon was "a strong leader" and added that he and Dr Wells were "instrumental in Flint's recovery". The EPA recently announced a $100 million grant to fund drinking water infrastructure upgrades.
The Michigan attorney general said his office had also released an interim report on the investigation.
NOVA investigates what happened in Flint, Michigan when local officials changed the city's water source to save money, but overlooked a critical treatment process. "According to the documents, he "willfully disregarded the deadly nature of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak", later saying "(we) can't save everyone", and "everyone has to die of something".
Previously, Schuette, when asked if Snyder was a target in the investigation, said there were no targets but "nobody is off the table".
Comments