Woman sues over lead exposure

By D.A. Wilkinson

A state official said lead exposure is declining.

SALEM — Two children are receiving care after being exposed to lead paint in the rental home in which they were living.

Atty. Richard W. Schulte of Dayton, who represents the children’s mother, said Wednesday, “They have already been tested. Now they are being treated.”

Schulte declined to comment on their condition, citing privacy concerns.

The children, Skylar Arden McMurray, 2, and Cohon Parker Wise, 5, have either left or will soon leave their rental property, their attorney said.

Merisa McMurray, the mother and guardian of the children, has filed a lawsuit in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court seeking in excess of $25,000 in damages.

The family had rented a home at 1170 Cleveland St. from George Thomas of Salem.

The lawsuit contends the children became ill after ingesting lead-based paint. It states the children “had high and dangerous levels of lead in their blood,” which caused “permanent social, behavioral and developmental disabilities.”

Atty. Brett Apple, who represents the owner, said Thomas would have to evict the family in order to comply with the state’s order. He declined to comment further.

John Belt is a health planning administrator who oversees the child lead program for the Ohio Department of Health.

Lead paint was banned in Ohio in 1977, although many homes still have it, he said.

He estimated a 1,500-square-foot house would have about 40 milligrams of lead paint dust about the size of a sugar packet.

Lead dust is the most common form of exposure, he said. “It’s not a visible issue.”

Most of the dust comes from friction by opening and closing doors and windows. Replacing them greatly reduces the problem.

Belt estimated that the work needed to eliminate the problems cited by the ODH’s order to abate the problem would cost $4,000 to $12,000.

The good news is that lead paint problems are declining statewide and are expected to decrease even more, Belt said.

Of some 154,856 children examined in 2007, only 2,726 had medical issues, he added.

Locally, the Mahoning County Health Department serves as a resource center for exposure information.

wilkinson@vindy.com