Another 21 people died “without fixed abode” in OC in September. Their names are:
Marten BRANDEL who died on Sept 2nd in Santa Ana
Morgan KELLY who died on Sept 3rd in Mission Viejo
Juan DIAZ ESCOBEDO who died on Sept 3rd in Anaheim
James ISHEE who died on Sept 4th in Santa Ana
Kenneth PERSONS who died on Sept 5th in Laguna Beach
Stephen DEKRUIF who died on Sept 6th in Stanton
Wayne GRAFFIA who died on Sept 8th in Huntington Beach
Louise FOSTER who died on Sept 8th in Huntington Beach
Addison ERTLER who died on Sept 11th in Costa Mesa
Jessica GUTIERREZ who died on Sept 11th in Newport Beach
Michael MIERA who died on Sept 12th in Orange
Richard GARCIA DOMINGUEZ who died on Sept 14th in Anaheim
Sabrina ADAME who died on Sept 15th in Orange
Jesus ORTIZ CASILLAS who died on Sept 15th in Orange
Jessica PIOVESAN who died on Sept 16th in Garden Grove
Manuel RAMOS-MEJIA who died on Sept 16th in Fullerton
Augustine MIRAMONTES who died on Sept 21st in Santa Ana
Kenetthera STEWART who died on Sept 23rd in Santa Ana
Brian POPOVICH who died on Sept 24th in Santa Ana
Tina GREATHOUSE who died on Sept 25th in Anaheim
Kristin BELLOVICH who died on Sept 30th in Orange
Additionally, three others who died “without fixed abode” in OC in previous months were added to the OC Coroner’s list. Their names are remembered here as well:
Roger ULRICH, JR. who died on July 24th in Tustin
Lucky LEE who died on Aug 19th in [Not Recorded]
James YOUNG who died on Aug 22nd in Laguna Beach
If the number holds, this September would have had the lowest homeless death toll in OC since June, 2020. Overall, the county’s year to date homeless death toll of 289 remains comparable to 2021 when it was 291 at this point of the year, but significantly lower than the previous two years when the death toll through September was 371 in 2022 and 400 in 2023. Still in 2019, the death toll through September was 142.
As I wrote last month, it would certainly be worth while if the County reconvened the OC Sheriff Barnes led commission which two years ago was empaneled to better understand why homeless deaths in the County then were increasing. It would be interesting to see what has happened since, yes, to see what the County has done right for the death rate to now be decreasing.
That said, we must continue to remember that to date 289 people have died “without fixed abode” on our County’s streets this year or still more than one per day, every day.
Fr. Dennis Kriz, OSM, Pastor St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church, Fullerton.
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