West Virginia woman struggles with massive sinkhole in front yard
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A West Virginia woman is desperately seeking help after a large sinkhole, 15 feet deep and 6 feet wide, appeared in her front yard, leaving her fearful and frustrated.
La Sharn Newbill, who bought her home in a new development in 2020 after being recently widowed, said the sinkhole has turned her dream home into a nightmare since it emerged in August.
La Sharn Newbill says she’s run out of options trying to get help for a sinkhole that emerged in her front yard.
Despite reaching out to several entities, including her homeowners' association, insurance, the developer, attorneys, and local utilities, Newbill says she's been told that the responsibility to fix the sinkhole falls on her.
"I am scared because my bedroom is right at the front," Newbill said, adding, "Heartbreaking, that’s all I gotta say. It’s very heartbreaking."
She is afraid to use her driveway and fears that the sinkhole could eventually consume her home.
Planning documents from Berkeley County show the developer agreed to erosion and sediment control standards during construction in 2019, but no resolution has been offered to Newbill.
A neighbor mentioned that a smaller sinkhole had appeared in 2021 in the middle of the street, which the county repaired.
Sinkholes are not uncommon in this area of West Virginia, which is known for Karst topography — a type of landscape where soluble rocks can be eroded by water, creating underground cavities.
Joe Lebold, a geology professor at West Virginia University, explained that sinkholes in this region are difficult to predict.
"You certainly can have a change in subterranean drainage that causes Karst Topography in the first place, a new channel opens up, or a cave gets a little bit bigger. Something that wasn’t detectable before can certainly cause problems," Lebold said.
Newbill says she had no idea that sinkholes were a possibility when she moved in and wishes she had known the risks earlier.
For now, she continues to seek answers, hoping to avoid spending thousands of dollars on repairs.
FOX 5's attempts to reach the developer and county officials were unsuccessful.