A cluster of health problems in a tiny San Joaquin Valley community

A child plays in the working-class community of Kettleman City in the heart of the agricultural San Joaquin Valley. Local residents suspect that a nearby hazardous waste facility is the cause of a recent rash of birth defects, and want the Kings County Board of Supervisors to stop a proposed expansion of the facility pending an investigation by state and federal health officials into the cause of a cleft palate cluster.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Holding her daughter Citlali, Maria Saulcedo, 41. talks about her deceased daughter Ashley, who was born with a cleft palate and other health problems. Saulcedo has two other children who are free of birth defects.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Ivan Hernandez, 1, with his father, Ivan Sr., has undergone two surgeries after being born with a cleft palate. The poor San Joaquin Valley community of Kettleman is populated mainly with Latino laborers.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Ivan Hernandez, here with his father Ivan Sr., has undergone two surgeries for his cleft palate.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Kettleman City is a dreary, economically depressed community in the heart of the agricultural San Joaquin Valley. Some say that a large hazardous waste dump west of town is the cause of a recent rash of birth defects among residents.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

A worker inventories hazardous waste destined for burial at a Chemical Waste Management facility just west of Kettleman City.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Hazardous waste awaits processing at Chemical Waste Management.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Kettleman City residents file out of St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church after Sunday Mass.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

About 150 Kettleman City residents gathered on the steps of Hanford Civic Auditorium and demonstrated boisterously against both Kings County and Chemical Waste Management Inc.   (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)