Family sues companies over Acreage man's cancer death

THE ACREAGE, Fla. - An attorney filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday afternoon in the case of Joey Baratta.  He passed away in September of 2009 due to brain cancer. 

Baratta's family is claiming Pratt & Whitney is responsible for contaminating the soil and groundwater years ago, leading to Baratta's death. They also named Palm Beach Aggregates in the suit. 

A spokesperson for Pratt & Whitney wouldn't comment on the case until he read the lawsuit.  However, officials with the health department have said the company currently complies with all hazardous waste regulations.  Palm Beach Aggregates couldn't be reached for comment.

 Baratta was one of dozens of people identified as having cancer and lived in The Acreage. The health department confirmed a cluster in the area of childhood cancers of the brain and central nervous system.  It said it would be normal to have one case in that size of an area.  The Acreage had three cases over a two year period. 

However, after performing dozens of tests, health officials announced late last year they couldn't find a cause.

The Contact 5 investigators have also learned two new people have been diagnosed with cancer in The Acreage over the past few months.

In legal documents, attorney Jack Scarola claims a 4-year-old girl has been recently diagnosed with a tumor in her head and neck.

Contact 5 has also discovered a 24-year-old man who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer.