Help Me Hank takes a deeper look at Detroit public schools water shutoff

Lead in water can have devastating effects on children

DETROIT – Flint gave the world a glimpse into the devastating effects lead in water can have on children.

Now, many Detroit public school parents are wondering if the elevated levels discovered in schools could have affected their children's health.

One Detroit mother said her children have lead poisoning, and she's left wondering how it happened.

Renea Robinson's four children attend Sampson-Webber Leadership Academy in Detroit, a school that in 2016 was one of 19 that tested positive for elevated levels of lead and copper.

The children were experiencing headaches. Some had rashes. It's not clear if it was the water in the school, or in her home that caused the issues.

What she does know for sure is that the water at the school was a danger.

Detroit public schools are working overtime to learn exactly how many schools are affected. They're also working on a solution.

Until then, it's bottled water for everyone.

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About the Authors

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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