Apr 14, 2008 1:20 pm US/Eastern
Couple Charged For Lead Risks In $1.3 Million Home
WELLESLEY (WBZ) ―
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The Ellises argue that removing lead paint in their 5,000-square-foot home could stir up lead dust particles and increase risks.
WBZ
A Wellesley family is facing charges for allegedly not doing enough to protect their daughter from the danger of lead poisoning.
"There is no exposed lead, in this house no chipped paint, no flaking paint, no deteriorating paint."
But the state says the Ellis' $1.3 million Wellesley home is a hazard to their children's health and now Charles and Jane Ellis have been charged with a crime.
The couple's battle with the state began when little Catie was poisoned by lead. Her mom says it was most likely from a toy necklace the 4-year-old sucked on and had nothing to do with the paint in this house. "I'm fairly certain it was a toy necklace she got for her birthday last year. She never tested high in our old house till she got that necklace."
Catie's lead levels actually spiked two months before the Ellis' bought their home in Wellesley. Her mom says Catie's levels have decreased by about 50 percent since they moved.
Jane says the state wants the family to replace all of the windows and remove all of the lead. The Ellis' don't want to disturb any underlying lead until Catie and their two other kids are older. They argue that removing lead paint in their 5,000-square-foot home could stir up lead dust particles and increase risks.
John MacIsaac has been doing lead inspections since the 90s. He didn't inspect the Ellis' home, but says Massachusetts has the most stringent lead laws in the country. "On most surfaces, if the paint is in tact, you're good to go, but if it's loose or flaking, it's a hazard...has to be intact."
"If I thought for one second this house was making my children sick, I would do everything to fix the problem," said Jane.
But for now, the state says the house is a problem -- even though Charles and Jane say all they want is to keep their kids safe.
A spokesperson for the Department of Public Health says they cannot comment on this specific case but that "…lead poisoning cases in Massachusetts have dropped by 82 percent since 1993 because we take the law seriously and apply it consistently no matter where cases are identified."
You can learn more about the dangers of lead exposure at the following links:
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