FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A former Michigan state official acknowledges in a plea deal that she was aware of dozens of cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the Flint area two years ago but didn’t report it to the general public.
Michigan’s former state epidemiologist, Corrine Miller, entered a no-contest plea Wednesday to a misdemeanor count of neglect of duty in connection to the outbreak and the investigation into lead-contaminated water in Flint.
The city started using the Flint River as its water source to save money in 2014. A definitive connection between the corrosive water and Legionnaires’ has not been made, but many experts believe it likely was the cause. At least 91 Legionnaires’ cases were detected in 2014 and 2015.
No explanation is given in the plea deal as to why the cases weren’t publicly reported.
