Body found north of the BNSF Railway depot
Lawrence police were investigating the unattended death of a 53-year-old white male in the wooded area north of the BNSF Railway depot Friday afternoon. Enlarge video
Lawrence police Friday afternoon were investigating the unattended death of a 53-year-old white male in the wooded area north of the BNSF Railway depot.
Sgt. Bill Cory said earlier indication were the deceased man was not a Lawrence resident. There were no obvious signs of foul play, he said.
Witnesses said the body was laying next to a tent. Crime scene investigators are on the scene. Cory said the body would be taken to Topeka for a complete autopsy.
The area has been popular in the past as a camping site for the area's homeless. The city cleared out and demolished the homeless camp, in October 2008, shortly after two men were found dead in their tent in the homeless camp.
The city has been wrestling with a lack of shelter for homeless for some time, exacerbated with the closure Monday of the Salvation Army overnight shelter.
More information as it develops at LJWorld.com.
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Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
Oh, no not again, and I suppose this death will of little or no consequence to anyone as the last two were.
Witnesses reported an unattended death, I do wish the paper would wait until it gets more facts before writing something like this.
This is a terrible thing to have happened. Someone should have done something. The dead person wasn't in a spaceship in a void. There were in a fairly sized town.
Maybe all the trees for a space along the river and by that station should be cut down and grass planted.
That might prevent something.
TheSychophant (anonymous) says…
It's impossible to prevent a hardcare junkie or alkie from ODing, or from sucumbing to something cumulative such as liver failure. Years and years of abuse has its consequences.
sandrat (anonymous) says…
Irish...
First off, trees are much better at preventing erosion, when compared to grass.
Second, that's a little like cutting off your arm to spite your foot. I'm of the opinion that they should just open up the area so the cops and medical people know where these people are at.
Unfortunately in this economy, there will be homeless people. If Lawrence can't build shelters, they should encourage centralization so these human beings don't completely fall through the cracks... or start sleeping in your back yard.
Pywacket (anonymous) says…
Let me get this straight: the trees should all be cut down because......?
Then nobody will die anywhere near the river?
What would hacking down trees solve?
Whether this turns out to be someone who just enjoyed camping near the river and, sadly, suffered a heart attack, or it turns out to be a case of substance abuse, or even if it turns out to be foul play, I rather think that clearcutting all the trees in the area won't serve any effective purpose.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
Okay, how is it that someone can see my post and reply to it before I can get back and see it? I kept getting a busy signal.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
Sorry, sorry, sorry, I am just grabbing at straws here. Emotion mind again. We only know where, not who or why.
There has to be an answer.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
Sorry, sorry, sorry, I am just grabbing at straws here. Emotion mind again. We only know where, not who or why.
There has to be an answer.
Anyone else having problems submitting a comment?
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
No it is not the city's fault. More shelters will not change the situation. Many homeless refuse to utilize the current shelters. There are still have two options in the community for those who wish to sleep indoors. The answer to the problem is not more shelter or cutting down trees.
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
from the article, we do not know this 53-year-old male was homeless.
but it does say he's apparently not from lawrence.
if he was homeless, he would be one of the many we have been writing about on these comment threads: out-of-town homeless attracted to lawrence, concentrating crime and drug and alcohol abuse.
I say clearly, *if* that is true, this should be a warning to our city's homeless providers, please look for ways to limit your services to those with some kind of local tie or history!
we cannot keep attracting out-of-town homeless, and doing so makes things much worse!
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
irish,
your comments are just silly, crazy.
but worse, they imply that it is okay for the homeless to just take over any plot of land they choose and then the community has to cater to them.
that catering is probably what brought this poor man to our community. and that catering may have made him comfortable in his self-destruction.
jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…
Waka dude, it's not the city's fault. dude
srj (anonymous) says…
I will expect the city crews will clear out the area again next week.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
It's a free country, people can help who they want to. If you don't want to, that is your choice also. Downtown the other day I gave a dollar to a man sitting in an alcove out of the rain and I was thankful I had the dollar to give him. I was thankful I had an umbrella and a nice, dry home to go back to.
I know for a fact from when I lived in the Salvation Army Shelter that a few men got checks every month and had enough to buy some fairly fancy camping equipment and liquor to pass around.
I think they are like Huck Finn, always looking for the territory, and never wanting to be civilized by Aunt Polly.
The growl of the Harley, the moan of the train at midnight, luring you on, what's beyond the next hill, around the next bend.
I know, Bearded One, I am crazy, but I can still write dammed good.
And,will.
EireishHawk (anonymous) says…
mmm, I believe that would be "write damned well"
Huck Finn? That is a dammed sad comparison.
somebodynew (anonymous) says…
Marion,
Just a question (and not on topic) and feel free not to answer. Did you happen to attend a funeral yesterday???
And the only reason I ask is I was there and thought you were, but was not sure.
EireishHawk (anonymous) says…
or lose employment because you are drinking on the job
or lose you home because you gambled away your house payments
Little bunny Foo Foo
Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
and making them homeless
yessireee, bad bunnies may have caused it
somebodynew (anonymous) says…
OK, my mistake. Just thought you might have known the guy, but that is OK.. Thanks for the response.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
I meant in the creative sense which is not always grammatical.
It was supposed to be melancholy as we used to call the blues.
When a man dies because the devil must have his dues.
Guardian (anonymous) says…
"Irish (Irish Swearingen) says…
It's a free country, people can help who they want to. If you don't want to, that is your choice also...."
Not really. The President and Congress are now returning the counrty's wealth back to it's "rightful owners".
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
no, Irish, that's not good writing, apart from grammar. bad grammar doesn't make it raw, deep or challenging.
you admit that some at the Sally had checks and got camping equipment, as well as liquor. the sally was a dry shelter, and was more constructive than the "open shelter."
if the best thing those fellas could do with their money was spend it on camping and equipment and hooch, you've got your reason right there why they're homeless...their own choice. and that dollar you gave might've felt good, but in this town with all what's there for the homeless you can be sure that dollar went to either: hooch; drugs; smokes; or "adult" magazines. you didn't help him, you helped him destroy himself a little more.
yes, its a free country, and I still have the freedom to criticize choices that continue the self-destruction of other people. choices that help attract out-of-town homeless to *our* community, concentrating crime, drug and alcohol abuse.
as to your own mental illness, Irish I've PM'ed you that I am worried about you posting so much about yourself online.
Pywacket (anonymous) says…
Irish~ Unfortunately, the world will always see a certain number of unattended deaths. Some are making much of the possibility that this person was homeless, but it happens to people with homes, too. We can try to help people stay connected, but everyone is alone from time to time and if something happens in those moments, there's probably no one to blame, really.
cletus26 (anonymous) says…
another 1 dies of the H1N1
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
py,
note I used the word "if." the location, his not being from lawrence, all imply probably he was a homeless guy.
but maybe he was a harley guy.
***
cletus,
being by the bnsf depot means that location is on the "trade routes" as a well-known poster has pontificated about the swine flu.
***
seriously, it is sad this man died this way, apparently alone and not in comfort.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
I believe that mental illness needs to be brought out into the open and talked about. It is no different than having any other kind of disease. By not demonizing it or mocking it, we might inspire someone to seek help from Bert Nash who might not otherwise do it because of fear of being ridiculed.
I agree with Py. I suppose I have survivors guilt because I did manage to get out with a lot of help and some I knew then are still there.
I gave the money to this man out of the goodness of my heart. After I gave it, it wasn't mind anymore so it isn't any of my business what he spent it on. I don't know the man or what his wants and needs are.
Do you have the stats on how many working people spend money on alcohol?
Some, some, were getting checks. Others didn't have a cent, and still others went to work every day and saved up for a place. They got out.
honestone (anonymous) says…
I believe that in order for a developer to get a building permit each new area for development MUST have services for the homeless in that developed area.
The Alvamar Free Kitchen or the 6th and Kasold Drop-In-Center. A homeless Campground at 6th and Mass.
Utopia!!!