Couple Caught Having Sex In Stockton Neighborhood Sheds Light On Homeless Crisis
STOCKTON (CBS13) – A Stockton woman is speaking out after she found a couple, believed to be homeless, engaged in a sex act in the front yard of her neighbor's home. She says the surprising encounter makes it clear more needs to be done to address the homeless crisis.
Chealsey Allmon-Encinas was walking outside when she said she suddenly saw two people believed to be homeless having sex in her neighbors front yard. She said she couldn't believe it and told them to stop and leave.
"So I asked them if they were OK and they weren't responding," she said. "At first, they told me to go away, and I was like, 'Excuse me, do you understand you are having intercourse in someone's front yard?'"
Chealsey said there's a growing homeless problem in her community – some even going as far as setting fires but nothing like what she experienced just days ago. She says it's a wake-up call for everyone in the community, including local and state leaders to step up.
JoLyn McMillan is CEO of the Stockton Shelter For The Homeless.
"Once they have been knocked down that low or sunk that low, it takes a lot of work to bring them back," McMillan said.
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She said what happened in Chealsey's neighborhood is very rare and that resources are needed to address people's needs as soon as they develop.
"We don't have enough resources to help the people that need the help when they need it," McMillan said. "The majority of the people that are homeless and struggling have a significant amount of trauma."
Still, Chealsey said this should be an eye-opener to the point that more help is needed.
"If we want our city to be better, then we need to help them in order for them to get better because we can't just tell them to get better with no resources, with no money, with no support because who knows?" she said. "They have probably been trying for years now and they just don't have it in them...and they need that support."
CBS13 reached out to the governor's office who said that through Project Roomkey, counties are screening people for behavioral health challenges and making sure they get support.
We also reached out to Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, but he wasn't available for an interview.
