The organizer of the Village Camp believes she died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tents next to the front yard of Darin Mann’s property, on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.
A woman who lived in a homeless camp in a private resident’s garden died Sunday morning after the organizer of the camp allegedly was carbon monoxide poisoning she got after trying to keep her tent warm.
He said: ‘It is also clear that we do not have the means to deal with this problem in a private home. It is time that we create and implement a lasting solution. ‘
He advocates building a small home community in memory of the woman.
Salt Lake City police, Lieutenant Steve Wooldridge, have confirmed that a 45-year-old woman died in the camp Sunday morning.
Police were called there just after 6 a.m. Sunday because a man was having medical problems, and upon their arrival, they noticed that others needed medical help.
The woman was the only person who died.
Wooldridge said he did not know of any other deaths in this camp, but said, “These things happen from time to time across the camps.”
He urged those working with homeless people to divert the unprotected resources to established, government-funded resources.
The woman’s death comes as activists and government officials battled over the best ways to help Salt Lake City’s homeless population, with many activist groups taking the work upon themselves by issuing meals and organizing camps.
During a public comment session during the Salt Lake City Council’s formal meeting last Tuesday, some Salt Lake City residents criticized the decision to sweep the camp due to predictions of freezing snowstorms last week and asked the city to give more to homeless people. time.
Editor’s note • Anyone seeking shelter is encouraged to call the coordinated access line at 801-990-9999.