(NewsNation) — A community in California is calling for answers and accountability after doctors have diagnosed several children with a rare form of cancer.
Ladera Ranch, home to nearly 26,000 people, has witnessed nearly a dozen children and teens being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, including two who died. Ewing sarcoma impacts soft tissues, but may also affect bones.
The staggering amount is a far cry from the fewer than 250 children and young adults who get diagnosed with the disease in a single year.
Elephant Butte water levels historically low, exposing 50-year-old debris and artifacts
“I don’t want another mother holding her child’s hand through endless treatments, praying for one more birthday,” said Brian Dalton, the father of Lily Dalton, at a community meeting on Tuesday.
Lilly Dalton (Dalton family)
Lily Dalton, 23, died from Ewing sarcoma in January after being diagnosed just days after her college graduation. She grew up in Ladera Ranch.
“I don’t want another family planning a funeral instead of a future,” Brian Dalton added.
High suspicion cancer cluster is caused by use of herbicides and pesticides
Multiple studies and investigations are underway to figure out the cause of the cancer cluster, and there is high suspicion over the use of herbicides and pesticides.
Photos: 16 pounds of monitor lizard parts from Thailand seized at L.A port of entry
A temporary ban is now in place, pausing the use of toxic chemical products as a local advisory committee reviews landscaping maintenance practices in Ladera Ranch.
Ladera Ranch sits between Los Angeles and San Diego
The city of Irvine banned the use of toxic synthetic pesticides on all public property about a decade ago.
Officials calling for investigation into cluster
First Assistant U.S. Attorney for Southern California Bill Essayli has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a federal investigation.
“There has been an unusual cluster of pediatric cancers in the Ladera Ranch community. I am requesting that EPA conduct an appropriate investigation into whether there are any environmental causes, and whether any federal environmental laws are implicated,” he wrote on X last week.
A new wolf pack just formed in Colorado, wildlife officials confirm
The Orange County Health Care Agency has also called for a review of cancer data with the California Cancer Registry, the UC Irvine Cancer Center and the Orange County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office agreeing to conduct an analysis.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.