Lorain family sues over sewer smell

LORAIN -- A Lorain family has sued the city for the wrongful death of a loved one.

The claim: That 84-year-old Dorothy Dulick's fatal illness was caused by the effects of raw sewage that contaminated her home.

Charlie and Mary Williams made a comfortable home for their mother, Dorothy, before her death.

It became a nightmare after not once, but two times, the Williams say raw sewage from the city's pipes poured into their home.

The Williams claim the city only patched the problem the first time it happened but never returned to fix it.

They have lived in the mold and the smell for three years now. It has become a prison they cannot seem to escape.

Charlie Williams and his family have gone without a lot these last three years. Cabinets, floors, even walls are missing.

"It's just a place to sleep. That's what it is. It's just a place to sleep," Williams said.

Raw sewage came into their Oak Point Road home twice in 2006.

It has saturated the foundation and walls so much the smell cannot be removed.

Williams says he can't stay in the house more than a short time before his asthma flares up.

"I never had to take any medicine.  In the house now, I have to take a full dose of medicine to be in the house, plus the blockers," Williams said.

His wife Mary suffers from MS. Williams says her condition worsened.

"The stress and everything has just taken its toll on her health," Williams said.

The final straw was the death of his mother-in-law Dorothy Dulick last May.  She was 84, living in the house's addition the Williams had built.

Williams says Dorothy died from respiratory problems brought on by the poor air quality in the home.

"When she went to the hospital, she'd feel real good. She'd come back home and get sick again," Williams said.

Williams' lawsuit claims the city knew of sewer line problems when a rupture occurred just down the street, near the waste water plant.

"From 2004, they knew that had a problem and they never fixed it. They had a patch but never fixed it," Williams said.

The family has burned through two insurance policies and a second mortgage. Still, they can't escape this nightmare.

"There's no way out. Can't sell it, can't fix it," Williams said.

Williams says his mortage is over $165,000. According to the county, the house is worth only $50,000.

He simply can not afford to rebuild or take on another house payment.

Williams says there is still no guarantee this same sewage overflow won't happen again.