Woman Defecates near Shorewood Bus Stop, Tells Police 'I Just Had to Go'

Greg September 18, 2012 at 06:11 pm

Patch update:
This was just Jason Patzfahl creating another blog.

Bob McBride September 19, 2012 at 12:22 pm

Okay, so if you've got a woman who's homeless and who's got diarrhea so bad she's pooping behind a busstop, you just leave her there? And then, when as might be expected, she has another attack at the same spot, you come back and cite her for disorderly conduct? What were you really expecting to happen? Is this really the best way to handle this situation?

Alol September 19, 2012 at 01:19 pm

No, it wasn't. Maybe she was ill. They probably should've taken her to the ER. Also, do the police really think she's going to pay a DC ticket?

CowDung September 19, 2012 at 01:42 pm

I think the ER might have been overkill. Taking her to a public restroom would have made more sense...

Bob McBride September 19, 2012 at 01:51 pm

At 4 in the morning I don't know where you're going to find a public restroom in Shorewood. Had she been vomiting repeatedly I think they probably would have called an ambulance. This really was no different than that.

Greg September 19, 2012 at 02:49 pm

Maybe the ticket was provided as a means to wipe.

Alol September 19, 2012 at 04:13 pm

"Here you go, officers. One hundred and fifty dollars worth of aluminum cans."

India McCanse September 21, 2012 at 12:03 am

To the Patch:
Your article was a woefully insensitive piece of BS that insults all of us in Shorewood. It was not funny as you attempted it to be, and makes light of low income members of ours and our greater community. in this economy, hundreds of thousands of us are one step from being homeless (which means to not have sustainable housing and does not mean the person is a criminal). This is not the first time you have used the "homeless" tag to add judgement to a story about someone. I'm embarrassed that this type of trash is put out in our village and respctfully request that you consider reviewing some basic journalistic ethics and stop talking like Mitt Romney who spews hate so freely. Have some respect - you or i could be homeless some day soon.

Cricket September 21, 2012 at 02:07 am

India- I don't think Patch would have stuck the "homeless" tag in the article unless they knew that for a fact. Adam is a good journalist, I read most of his articles and I do not think he has been insensitive. Most people that are homeless unfortunately want it that way. Many times mental illness is involved. I don't know how else the police should have handled the situation, you can't have people doing that out in public although if she was truly ill perhaps they should have taken her to a hospital. These unpleasant events do happen in Shorewood and I the press has a right and a responsibility to report it. Something tells me this woman has done something like this before.

India McCanse September 21, 2012 at 06:07 pm

Cricket - I've worked with homeless and low income populations my whole career and respectfully, you are not correct in your assumptions. I wonder why the need to report whether or not she had a home is important - should we ask if someone is straight or has a mental illness or a driver's license? What purpose does that serve except to further separate her from those of us who are privileged enough to live in Shorewood? Of all the things that could have been reported on that day in Shorewood, it's unfortunate that a person's most personal illness was chosen and in way that made such light of the woman. No dignity was afforded her in "When you gotta go, you gotta go." I invite you to visit the Guest House, the Cathedral Center, Repairers of the Breach or any of the fine organizations that serve members of our community without sustainable housing - you might be surprised at what you find.

CowDung September 21, 2012 at 06:25 pm

Don't you think that knowing that the person was homeless lends a level of understanding and/or sympathy toward her actions? The story was also included the fact that the defecation was due to illness and unavoidable rather than a deliberate choice to take such an action.
I agree with Cricket and will defend Adam's professionalism and integrity.

Bob McBride September 24, 2012 at 04:00 pm

I don't think India was suggesting a diarrhea free-for-all in the streets of Shorewood. In fact, there would have been one less incident had the cops decided to actually do something about the woman's obvious condition initially instead of waiting until it happened again and, then, slapping a ticket on her.
It might be nice if Adam did kind of follow up or clarify if, in addition to being given a ticket for disorderly conduct, any other action was taken - or if they just sent her on her way after that.

Bob McBride September 24, 2012 at 04:09 pm

As for whether or not the woman should have been classified as "homeless":
Since her name wasn't given, I don't see what harm was done by including that information. In fact, in a case like this its inclusion calls into question her proper treatment at the hands of the cops. Had this been someone who actually had a home in the area in which to "do the deed", the ticket might, in fact, make a bit more sense. Given that, if homeless, it's unlikely she had any other place reasonably available to her in the vicinity, the ticket seems a bit harsh.

Tom September 24, 2012 at 05:32 pm

No pain, no strain, just let it drain! -Picked a great place to dump IMO ;)