BUTTE COUNTY, SD — Lacy J. Peterson is seeking public support to fund legal costs following chemical exposure by a Belle Fourche pesticide truck, which may have had a long-term effect on her children.
The stay-at-home mother of three children and National Guard Veteran, who described her and her family as striving “To live a healthy conservative life,” Peterson witnessed as a truck contracted by the city of Belle Fourche, which was spraying pesticides to combat ongoing summer mosquito populations, sprayed those same pesticides on her three children. Following this, she states that her children experienced sore throats, coughing, and burning eyes, and that her youngest daughter was diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease (In which an inflamed airway causes similar symptoms to asthma) following the incident.
“I was really shocked. And as soon as my kids got inside, I told them to strip down and to immediately get in the shower, wash their eyes out everything,” said Peterson in an interview with the Rapid City Post “I was very concerned, you know, because some I didn’t know what type of pesticide this was”. Peterson after a number of days of searching was able to spur on an investigation by the Department of Agriculture which could result in up to $5,000 in fines and loss of license– However, Peterson states she wants justice to be done in this matter, and has started a GoFundMe in order to pay associated costs with filing a civil suit related to the incident.
Those wishing to contribute to the fund may read more and donate to the cause on the GoFundMe page (link)