PHILADELPHIA – A local woman is suing her landlord and property management company for negligence, holding them personally responsible for renting an uninhabitable property and the lead poisoning of her two young children.
Angelique Waisome (on behalf of herself and her two minor children) of Philadelphia filed suit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on Aug. 14 versus Kiddma, LLC and Snoof Investments, LLC, both also of Philadelphia.
The lawsuit states that Waisome, mother of two children both under the age of six, entered into a lease agreement with the defendants on Nov. 17, 2017, for a property located on the 200 block of West Sheldon Street, in the Olney section of Philadelphia.
As the property in question was constructed before March 1978, the suit states the defendants were obligated under city codes to provide the plaintiffs with a valid certificate prepared by a proper lead inspector, and to acknowledge receipt of the certification by signing a copy.
However, Waisome says the defendants failed to abide by the laws as written. And allegedly as a result, Waisome’s two minor children were poisoned by the presence of lead within the residence, and suffered brain damage – in addition to being surrounded by exposed electrical wiring, no carbon monoxide detectors, cracked, lead-infested paint, and more.
The defendants have yet to offer a response to the litigation.
For counts of negligence, breach of contract, the plaintiff is seeking damages, jointly and severally, in excess of $50,000, including statutory damages, interest, refunded rent, exemplary damages, court costs and attorney’s fees.
The plaintiffs are represented by Francis J. O’Neill Jr. of Van Der Veen O’Neill Hartshorn & Levin, in Philadelphia.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel, according to Court records.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 180801066
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com