Mother-of-two snatched by homeless and dragged into tent at dangerous camp outside elementary school

Parents have voiced concerns about a hazardous homeless encampment near an elementary school in South Los Angeles. This alarm followed reports of a mother being forcibly taken off the street by a homeless individual and dragged into a tent.

Karen Gutierrez highlighted the dire conditions faced by mothers and their children due to the encampment’s closeness to 61st Street Elementary School.

Gutierrez shared with Fox 11 that a parent with two children was once grabbed by a homeless person and taken into a tent. She added that city officials have not implemented any long-term solutions to address the issue.

The school, part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is situated about a block from the 110 Freeway underpass, where homeless camps frequently appear.

Gutierrez detailed some of the disturbing things children encounter on their way to school, including drug paraphernalia and used condoms.

“There are many broken pipes and large used condoms,” Gutierrez told Fox 11.

Another local resident described the conditions as entirely unsafe.

“People engage in sexual activities in their cars, and afterward, they discard used condoms on the sidewalks and streets. This is right where children walk to and from school,” Omar Ramos explained.

Ramos mentioned contacting the city for cleanup efforts, but the encampment reappears soon after.

“I’ve been in discussions with Council District 9 and the school since 2021 to find lasting solutions. Their solution so far? None,” Ramos stated.

Gutierrez added, “They come back within an hour. Some just wait for cleanup and return. That’s how severe the situation is.”

District 9’s Councilmember Curren Price Jr.’s office informed The Post that it has been actively addressing the issue through frequent cleanups but acknowledged that the encampment often returns immediately.

“We are implementing additional measures for lasting relief. Our office plans to introduce a 41.18 motion to protect the area around the school and is moving forward with installing surveillance cameras to prevent illegal dumping and hold offenders accountable,” the statement read.

“These efforts are already underway, and we are dedicated to ensuring ongoing improvements for a safer, cleaner environment for the entire Council District 9 community.”

A representative for Los Angeles Unified School District told The Post, “keeping students safe is our highest priority.”

“We understand and share our families’ concerns regarding these issues affecting the larger community,” the statement noted. “Although Los Angeles Unified does not control the sidewalks outside our schools, we are collaborating closely with city partners to advocate for improvements.”

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