RAPID CITY, S.D. — Stuart and Tonya Junker thought they’d found their forever home near South Dakota’s Black Hills—until the ground beneath them started to give way. Their peaceful neighborhood of Hideaway Hills was soon plagued by massive sinkholes, turning their dream home into a potential disaster zone.
The couple, along with 150 of their neighbors, have sued the state for $45 million, claiming that officials sold the land for development despite knowing it sat above abandoned mines. “It’s a nightmare,” says Tonya. “We worry every night if our house will be next.”
The Junkers’ struggle is part of a larger crisis as new sinkholes continue to emerge, destabilizing homes, roads, and utilities, leaving many residents trapped in dangerous conditions they can’t afford to escape. The state denies liability, blaming developers and builders, but for families like the Junkers, hope lies in the courtroom.