Ohio mom claims 19-year-old daughter died after radiation exposure from nuclear plant: lawsuit

An Ohio mother is suing a nuclear plant, claiming that radiation exposure led to her 19-year-old daughter’s death a decade.

Julia Dunham is suing Centrus Energy, which currently operates the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, in a wrongful death case after her daughter, Cheyenne Dunham, died in 2015, WCMH reported.

The Dunham family lived near the uranium plant until Cheyenne was a teenager, and growing up, she would play in creeks and eat food grown near the plant, the lawsuit, filed in late November, claims.

Cheyenne began experiencing health issues when she turned 16, and underwent two bone marrow transplants to avoid developing leukemia. She became very sick and later died after the second transplant, the lawsuit claims.

The Dunhams’ lawsuit is one of many that blame the uranium plant, which was closed over environmental concerns, for illness or death, according to the report.

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Despite these concerns, this past September, Centrus announced plans to expand the former uranium plant and create 300 new jobs in uranium enrichment, WCMH reported at the time.

The Independent has reached out to Centrus for comment.

The Dunhams’ lawsuit also notes that Cheyenne spent three years at Zhan’s Corner Middle School, located about two miles from the uranium plant.

The school abruptly closed in 2019 over health concerns after enriched uranium was detected in the buildings, according to the report.

However, by the time Cheyenne turned 16, she had developed serious health issues. In one instance, she was rushed to the emergency room after her legs turned blue. There, doctors found blood clots in her legs and lungs and she was diagnosed with GATA Deficiency, a rare condition that leads to a weakened immune system and bone marrow failure.

The teen underwent two bone marrow transplants, but became very sick after the second in February 2015, according to the lawsuit. By May of that year her body rejected the transplant and she died in November.

The lawsuit claims Cheyenne’s declining health was a direct result of her proximity to the uranium plant.

The lawsuit also noted studies done on the area surrounding the uranium plant that found high levels of radiation. One study found that cancer rates in people under 25 who lived near the uranium plant were three times higher than in other parts of Ohio.

Julia Dunham is requesting a trial by jury and monetary damages for Cheyenne’s funeral and medical expenses, as well as emotional damages.

Julia Dunham was also involved in a 2019 lawsuit where she and four other parents sued the plant on behalf of their children. The parents claimed the uranium plant released radiation that contaminated their properties and endangered their children.

Meanwhile, Centrus has begun renovations on the Piketon facility with the hope of beginning its updated uranium enrichment work in 2029, according to the report.