Genesee News

Six years after improperly treated water leached lead into the Flint community's public water supply, the criminal investigation into the events leading to the crisis continues. 

Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy issued a joint statement, explaining the new efforts.

They wrote that the people of Flint “did not volunteer to serve as a cautionary tale of government gone wrong. This fate was imposed on them by a series of actions and inactions that created the historic injustice of the Flint Water Crisis.”  In their press release, the state lawyers said the current public health crisis will not deter their investigations. 

“Despite the challenges posed to our state by the COVID-19 pandemic, the current state of emergency will not prevent us from pursuing justice,” they wrote. 

The prosecuting attorney and solicitor general said they also wanted to correct a common misconception about statutes of limitations and deadlines in the case, because as of yet no charges have been filed. 

“We want to correct the misconception that April 25, 2020, is the deadline to bring charges against those who may be criminally liable,” Hammoud and Worthy wrote. “Criminal statutes of limitations vary depending on the offense and the date of the alleged criminal act. Though we cannot comment on the specifics of our investigation, we remain on track, and we are delivering on our commitment to the people of Flint.”

WILX10 News reports that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is conducting civil lawsuit proceedings into the investigation as well. 

In April 2014, the water source for Michigan was switched from the Great Lakes Water Authority to the Flint River. The water turned out to be corrosive due to buildup in the pipes and wasn’t treated effectively enough to prevent lead from older pipes from leaching into the water that was being directed into people’s homes.