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Growing sinkhole threatens Stone Mountain yards

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Updated  August 26, 2024 10:53pm EDT
Stone Mountain
FOX 5 Atlanta

Elderly woman afraid of massive sinkhole in yard

Angeline Smith is terrified to walk through her yard after finding a massive sinkhole spreading from her Stone Mountain property to her neighbor's. She also fears a curious child could get seriously hurt.

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. - A massive sinkhole has been steadily growing in the yard of a Stone Mountain homeowner, causing increasing concern for the safety of the neighborhood. Angeline Smith, a 69-year-old resident, has lived in her home for 34 years. She says the problem began two years ago and has since escalated, with her backyard fence collapsing into the sinkhole. 

Smith, who has been a part of the community for over three decades, describes the area as a "kid-friendly neighborhood" where everyone gets along. However, the appearance of the sinkhole, which started as a collapsed retention pond drain owned by DeKalb County, has become a significant worry. The hole now extends 10 feet deep and stretches through the end of her backyard. 

Her concern is palpable. "If somebody's child were to get hurt, I would feel real terrible…it’s a ball that one of the little kids down the street kicked down in there." 

Smith reports that she initially contacted DeKalb County about the issue two years ago but has seen little progress in addressing the growing danger. "I constantly called, I constantly called," she said, expressing frustration over the lack of resolution. 

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A Stone Mountain resident is concerned about a growing sinkhole caused by the collapse of a retention pond drain owned by DeKalb County. (FOX 5)

In March, county engineers made the first of three visits to Smith’s property, but the situation remains unresolved. For the past six months, the county has been "evaluating potential solutions," leaving Smith increasingly worried about the safety of those around her, especially given her own health challenges, which include Parkinson’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. 

"I’m scared to walk into the yard this time because if I had a tremor and maybe fall into one of them holes nobody would know," Smith shared, highlighting her personal fears. 

A DeKalb County spokesperson has stated that they are continuing to explore solutions and will follow up with Smith regarding "public and private property responsibility" in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Smith notes that the sinkhole is beginning to encroach on her neighbor’s yard, intensifying the urgency of the situation.