Michigan Health Director Nick Lyon, and four others, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office in connection to the Flint water crisis.
Former Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earley, former City of Flint Water Department Manager Howard Croft, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Drinking Water Chief Lian Shekter-Smith and Water Supervisor Stephen Busch are also charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Dr. Eden Wells with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has also been charged with obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced the charges Wednesday morning.
In addition to Lyons and Wells, 13 people have been charged, including two former emergency managers.
Wednesday’s announcement comes just a day after a group delivered more than 1,000 water bottles to Lansing as a message to the governor and attorney general.
The group placed messages in the water bottles, detailing how the water crisis has impacted them, bringing them to the state officers.
They say they are thirsty for safe drinking water.
For more than three years, Flint families have been told not to drink tap water without a filter.
As the state investigation continues, progress has been made to begin replacing the corroded pipes that caused the lead contamination, but families still want answers and a faster fix.
Seven Action News will have a team in Flint covering this announcement closely.
