A little more than a week after his mother's death, a grieving Michael Rothman is fighting on her behalf.
He’s filed a lawsuit against Southern California Gas Company, the company he says is responsible for compromising his mother's already fragile health, ultimately causing her death.
“People really need to be aware of what's going on in their backyard,” said Rothman. “In this particular case something is rotten in Porter Ranch, SoCal Gas put it there, it poisoned my mother and it's poisoning other people.”
His mother, Zelda Rothman lived in Porter Ranch, less than three miles from the leaking well at the Aliso Canyon facility.
Her neighbors complained of headaches, migraines and respiratory problems. Rothman’s lawsuit claims
all of Zelda’s breathable precious air in her home and her surroundings was poisoned by methane gas and other contaminants.
Diagnosed with lung cancer in March, it wasn't until November of last year, about a month after the leak began, Rothman says his mother's health suddenly, quickly deteriorated.
By Christmas, he says she required oxygen 24 hours a day.
“My mother is probably the first amongst what will probably, over time, many people who are casualties of this man-made natural disaster,” said Rothman.
