The family of an 11-year-old boy who froze to death in a Texas trailer amid the state's ongoing cold snap is suing power companies for $10o million.
Christian Pavon Pineda died on February 15 after his family were left in freezing temperatures without heating or water. His body was found next to his toddler brother.
The New York Post reports that his family have now accused power grid operator ERCOT and electricity provider Entergy of gross negligence for failing to "warn people of the dangerous conditions and giving incomplete guidance to customers".
ABC News reports that as of Sunday (February 21), 30 people have lost their lives as a result of the cold weather in Texas, with many dying from carbon monoxide poisoning as they stayed in their cars in a bid to stay warm.
Texas is unique in that its power system comes from an independent grid, meaning that unlike other states, when its power sources become overwhelmed, it cannot obtain power from out of state.
As per the Independent, Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, and other GOP state leaders are now facing a backlash for failing to adequately prepare for the storm.
Dan Woodfin, the senior director of system operations at ERCOT, told the Associated Press, however, that the current storm is "well beyond the design parameters for a typical, or even an extreme, Texas winter that you would normally plan for."
CNN reports that President Biden has declared a major disaster in Texas, unlocking federal resources to help the state through the winter storm.
"Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Texas and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms beginning on February 11, 2021, and continuing," the White House said in a statement Saturday (February 20).
President Biden said that he plans to visit Texas as soon as his presence will not be a burden to those working to tackle the disaster on the ground.
"If, in fact, it's concluded that I can do it without creating a burden for the folks on the ground while they are dealing with this crisis, I plan on going," the President said.
The news outlet added that while many Texans now have power, they are still contending with undrinkable water, broken pipes, and offline treatment plants.
