City Sued Over Lead-Poisoned Child

New Haven Legal Assistance Association filed the lawsuit in state Housing Court on Monday claiming that the city violated both state law and local ordinances in its response to off-the-charts lead levels in the blood of Jacob Guaman.

News Story (Connecticut)

Christopher Peak
New Haven Independent
October 31, 2017
READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Tags: Lead Poisoning

Organizations mentioned/involved: New Haven Legal Assistance Association (CT)


DETAILS

The suit alleges that after the 2-year-old’s blood first tested over the legal limit in 2015, the city conducted a perfunctory inspection, let the landlord off without submitting an abatement plan and didn’t properly reinspect the premises. That response has left Jacob “suffering irreparable harm,” including still-elevated lead levels known to cause neurological damage, the complaint argues.

The suit asks a judge to grant injunctive relief, forcing the city to remove the child from the apartment at 1321 Whalley Ave. and fix up the lead-paint directly.