Family devastated after missing mother found dead at LA homeless encampment
(KTLA) - Family members are devastated after a missing woman was one of two people found dead at a homeless encampment in the Westlake district of Los Angeles.
On Monday, Lucrecia Macias Barajas, 46, was found dead inside a sidewalk tent that had reportedly been locked from the inside.
The body of her male friend, whose identity was not released by the L.A. County Medical Examiner's office, was also found at the scene. Neighbors said at least one of the bodies had been partially eaten by dogs.
The grisly discovery was found at an encampment near downtown Los Angeles. After Barajas had been missing for several days and family members had been unable to reach her, they eventually traced her cell phone signal to the tent where her body was found.
Video of the scene showed one of her daughters wailing with grief outside the tent.
“My sister, she called to tell us that she found our mom dead,” said Amely Becerra, the victim’s daughter. “It devastated us. We didn’t understand how it happened.”
Her daughters said she was an Army veteran and a loving mother of six children with whom they had just spent time over the weekend.
“I want people to know she wasn’t a homeless drug addict, because that’s not true,” Becerra said. “Some people are coming to that conclusion, and that’s not fair. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
A resident who lives near the encampment said they were distraught to learn of the bodies being found.
“When I heard her harrowing screams, it shook us all to our core,” the resident, who did not wish to be identified, told Nexstar's KTLA. “We all just started shaking because we absolutely knew someone was dead outside.”
The homeless encampment has remained a chronic issue for many nearby residents, who say the area attracts criminal activity, drug use, safety hazards and even unruly animals.
One neighbor said his dogs were attacked by animals living in the encampment. When he tried reporting it, he said, the Los Angeles Police Department told him there was nothing they could do.
“This place has been a danger zone,” the man said. “People don’t feel safe, and nothing is ever done to clear it for good.”
Neighbors said the area has been neglected by city officials, and despite repeated complaints, nothing is being done to curb the growing problems.
“The neighbors complained about the dogs that were in this situation, the encampments,” said Raul Claros, founder of California Rising. “The city did nothing, and we feel that these two individuals would still be alive if those encampments weren’t there.”
Another resident said power had been illegally hooked up at the encampment for months and that despite a fatal RV fire in January, the site continues to be occupied.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass sent KTLA a statement on the incident, saying, "This case reinforces our urgent need to address this grave humanitarian crisis. We will continue collaborating with the council office to bring more Angelenos inside and do all that we can to improve public safety.”
The cause of death for Barajas and the unidentified man remains under investigation.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Barajas’ family with funeral expenses.