Resident finds dead body
Tells council more needs to be done on homelessness
NEWARK – Residents in Newark’s south end have complained about homeless or drug-addicted people terrorizing their neighborhood in recent months, but one recent account took the trauma to a new level.
Thomas Brunner, a South Second Street resident, told Newark City Council on Monday he found a dead body last weekend on his property while cutting the grass.
Additional information on the person found dead was not immediately available from police.
“I had a traumatic experience,” Brunner said. “As I was going back to the wooded area, I found a bicycle. As I got closer to the bicycle, I see a head and as I got closer, there was flies all over this head. There was a deceased body in my back field.
“I don’t know what’s going on, whether the city is concerned about the homeless people or whatever, or people who are drug addicts, but it needs to stop. I’m glad I found it and not my 5year-old granddaughter or 2-year old grandson, or my daughter or my wife.”
“This is getting really bad. I don’t know how bad you think it is, but you run across what I ran across, we’ll see how you feel.”
Two weeks ago, South end residents told council they live in fear of people they see on the streets who may be on drugs, struggling with mental health issues, homeless, and stealing from the area.
Kimberly Witzberger told council what her mother has endured living on South Second Street, where she has lived since 1964.
“My mom is being victimized and bullied by people in the neighborhood,” Witzberger said. “It was a very nice neighborhood at one time, but it’s just being overrun by, I don’t know if they’re homeless. I don’t know where they’re coming from, but people on bicycles, with backpacks constantly riding up and down her yard. They recently broke into her shed and stolen tires and rims.
“Not so long ago, a random car parked in her back yard. She called the police department because two people passed out in the car. Something has to be done to help these people.”
Linda Mossholder, who works at Newark Homeless Outreach on Saturdays at the corner of East Main and Buena Vista streets, said NHO distributes fentanyl test strips, Narcan to treat opioid overdoses and hepatitis C tests. She has asked for an appropriation from the city’s American Rescue Act funds for the fentanyl strips.
Mossholder said a naked woman recently dancing on a South End resident’s porch has visited the NHO.
“I believe I know who this person is,” Mossholder said. “We have seen here at the outreach and have asked her to leave the property. She has multiple mental health issues and obviously some serious substance abuse issues.”
Mossholder gave one example of what some of people are experiencing.
“One woman comes every week to get Narcan and fentanyl testing strips because her son is an active user,” Mossholder said. “He’s not homeless. She’s afraid he’s going to die.”
Tricia Moore, sworn in as law director on Thursday, said she attended a block watch meeting recently to hear residents’ concerns, which included people wandering the streets and onto their yards.
“I encourage you to report,” Moore said. “When police show up, I encourage you to make witness statements. Without statements, sometimes we can’t prosecute.”
City Councilman Doug Marmie said Moore will address the issue.
“Our law director, she’s a fireball and she wants to go after a lot of people,” Marmie said. “We do have a lot of issues facing Newark. I think we’re doing better. (Police) staffing is an issue right now.”
Residents have said they are afraid and frustrated police have not addressed their concerns. Police explain they are understaffed but do respond based on the priority of calls for assistance. Some of the behavior is not criminal, police said. kmallett@newarkadvocate.com 740-973-4539