FLINT, Mich. – TIME released their latest cover on Thursday, and it highlights the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
The cover reads, "The Poisoning of an American City. Toxic water. Sick kids. And the incompetent leaders who betrayed Flint."
The article is written by Josh Sanburn. The photo was taken by Detroit Free Press photographer Regina Boone. You can read it here, with a TIME subscription.
The boy on the cover is a Flint resident. His name is Sincere Smith. His third birthday is in a few days.
Sincere has rashes all over his body. They are so itchy, it keeps him up at night.
"People think of Flint and think of what we're going through," Sincere's mother Arian Hawk said. "Imagine what we're going through. Imagine if these were your kids going through this right now. You'll see how we'll feel."
Hawk says a doctor discovered that the boy rash is from chemicals that are being dumped into the water system to combat the lead in the city's water.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency order Thursday that it plans to take over testing for lead. In a statement, the agency criticized local and state officials.
The regional director of the EPA overseeing Michigan, Susan Hedman announced her resignation Thursday as well.
Special section: More coverage of the Flint Water Crisis
Snyder has released his 2014/15 emails regarding the Flint water crisis. You can view them below or here.
TIME's new cover: Flint. The poisoning of an American city https://t.co/n93aCQYHCw https://t.co/70bUmcwT1V
— TIME.com (@TIME) January 21, 2016