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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alicia Griggs on NYCHA Living Conditions and Son's Death
2:49:20
·
3 min
Alicia Griggs provided emotional testimony about the death of her son, Michael Gavin Sentron, which she attributes to environmental hazards in her NYCHA apartment at Jacob Riis Houses. She detailed various health issues experienced by her family and expressed frustration with NYCHA's lack of action regarding testing and transfers.
- Griggs reported the presence of arsenic, asbestos, lead, mold, and other contaminants in her building
- She mentioned bringing concerns to environmental lawyers and the DEC, but felt proper protocols were not followed
- Griggs stated she was granted a transfer a year ago but it hasn't been implemented, and she refuses to pay rent due to civil rights violations
Alicia Griggs
2:49:20
Good afternoon, counsel.
2:49:23
This is my son, Michael Gavin Sentron.
2:49:25
You may not be able to see from there.
2:49:27
This is my only child.
2:49:28
He passed away September 8th.
2:49:30
Of 2022 with the whole debacle of arsenic going on.
2:49:35
It is in fact true even though they denied it and they redacted it the same day my son passed away in the hospital, and they evaded any and all tests to approve it.
2:49:44
But I know something went wrong because there are serious environmental hazards that I did not know about, and I feel completely blindsided as well as other tenants, I'm sure, as far as Jacob Reeshouse is being standing over an old manufacturer green gas plant site.
2:50:00
That's emitting coal tar, volatile chemicals, benzene, touline, silica dust, everything.
2:50:06
We brought it to the attention of the environmental lawyer Joel Crumpferman.
2:50:11
We even scoped out the DEC, and they weren't following protocol when we've brought it to their attention of the steam intruding into the apartments.
2:50:19
Other people have also passed away.
2:50:21
My son passed away.
2:50:23
He needed a double lung transplant.
2:50:25
He had pulmonary fibrosis, which is nearly unheard of for anyone in that age category.
2:50:30
And that's because of the asbestos, the lead, the mold, everything.
2:50:34
It's just it's a horrible environment that I didn't think this type of thing was still still existed.
2:50:41
You know?
2:50:41
And they can like, why is this stuff even there?
2:50:44
Asbestos was banned in 1990.
2:50:47
They came into my apartment because I had to argue with them to test.
2:50:49
They ran no test back in 2021 when my when my son was sick, and we didn't know why.
2:50:56
I called the federal monitor and spoke with Joe Jaffy and a whole bunch of people over there.
2:51:01
We even went down to their office in Midtown to show them the water and how tainted it was, and my son drank that water.
2:51:08
And while he was I was giving him that water, making him tea, thinking on making him better.
2:51:12
In August 3rd, 4th, he went into the hospital to get better, came back on August 12th, went back
Chris Banks
2:51:20
to the 30 seconds to wrap up.
Alicia Griggs
2:51:22
August, and and He he needed 15 liters of oxygen.
2:51:26
They were doing all this construction around our building, not following protocol.
2:51:32
And he the EMS couldn't even get in, and he was in respiratory failure.
2:51:35
I mean, this is absolutely ridiculous.
2:51:38
And I think in a in a in a court of law, they're they're not gonna hold me liable to pay them anything.
2:51:42
I'm not paying them 1 red sent.
2:51:44
All of our civil rights have been violated.
2:51:46
I do not agree, and we've got granted a transfer a year ago, and they haven't done anything.
2:51:50
Management's not doing anything.
2:51:52
They're sending bogus notices.
2:51:54
They're not taking me to court.
2:51:55
They're not doing anything.
2:51:57
It doesn't make sense that my son got this sick.
2:52:00
I had a rare skin sarcoma.
2:52:02
I had breast cancer.
2:52:03
3 years back to back This is what I dealt with.
2:52:05
18, 1920, from 22, my son was sick and passed away.
2:52:09
And when we went to the town hall meeting on 9th, it made sense.
2:52:13
I told my son, I promised him I will get to the bottom of this, and I did.
2:52:16
And I know damn well that this residence where I live.
2:52:19
I didn't always live in night shift.
2:52:22
Made my son deathly ill.
2:52:23
It targets people.
2:52:24
It compromises DNA.
2:52:26
It targets different organs.
2:52:27
I've educated myself and done my research.
2:52:30
Thank you for listening.
Chris Banks
2:52:32
Sorry for your loss, man.
Alicia Griggs
2:52:33
Thank you.