Six current and former Michigan officials have been criminally charged for their roles in the Flint water crisis that was linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that caused at least 12 deaths, the state’s attorney-general said.
Key points:
- Involuntary manslaughter carries a charge of up to 15 years in prison
- Documents show senior officials deliberately did not inform the public of the crisis
- The Flint crisis erupted in 2015 when high amounts of lead was found in blood samples
Five of the officials, including Michigan health and human services director Nick Lyon, were charged with involuntary manslaughter stemming from their roles in handling the crisis, Michigan attorney-general Bill Schuette said in a statement.
Involuntary manslaughter is a felony that carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
Wednesday’s charges stem from more than 80 cases of Legionnaires’ disease, including the fatalities, that were believed to be linked to the water in Flint after the city switched its source to the Flint River from Lake Huron in April 2014.
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