Death along river hits Sacramento homeless women hard. ‘They’re worried for their safety’
The staff and the guests at Maryhouse, a program for homeless women and children in Sacramento, did not know who Kathy Lynn Robbins was. But news of her death created a somber feeling there this week.
Robbins, 64, was found dead Saturday afternoon along the American River bike trail, south of Railroad Drive and Del Paso Boulevard, according to the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office.
The Sacramento Police Department said Robbins had injuries she may have suffered during an assault and medics pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators believe she was homeless and living in an encampment in the area.
About 3:40 p.m. Saturday, officers were called to the area near mile-marker 3 along the bike trail after someone reported spotting what appeared to be a dead female, according to a Police Department news release.
Homicide detectives canvassed the area to search for witnesses or evidence that could help them determine the circumstances that led to the woman’s death. Police officials said Sunday they did not have a suspect description. Authorities on Tuesday were seeking tips to Robbins’ death on the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers website.
Shannon Dominguez-Stevens, director at Maryhouse, shared the news of Robbins’ death with the guests there. She searched her records, but Robbins had not been a guest at Maryhouse. A program of the nonprofit Loaves & Fishes in Sacramento, Maryhouse serves as a daytime hospitality shelter for homeless women and children.
Robbins’ death had a chilling effect at Maryhouse, another harsh reminder of the dangers homeless people face. Dominguez-Stevens said it felt like a dark cloud was hovering above everyone there Monday.
“We were wondering who it might be? If it’s somebody that we knew, somebody that we had served and loved and cared for,” Dominguez-Stevens told The Sacramento Bee. “We lost so many people. We just keep hearing this tragic news about people dying outside. Our guests are scared and they’re sad and they’re grieving and they’re worried for their safety.”
Violence toward women
She said women experiencing homelessness are always having to deal with sexual trauma and violence. The same insecurities that all homeless people face, such as lack of food or shelter, make women so susceptible to violence, Dominguez-Stevens said.
“And it really is like their entire being, their entire personhood is on the line at every moment of every day as these cycles of harm continue over and over again,” she said.
It’s domestic violence, it’s intimate partner violence, even attacks from total strangers, she said. She hears these stories of violence all the time at Maryhouse, at least once a day.
Along with the emotional support offered to women in crisis at Maryhouse, they also offer survival supplies, such as the warmth of a cup of coffee, blankets and clothing. Dominguez-Stevens said they always wish their guests safety when they leave Maryhouse, but there is a stark reality they have to encounter each night.
“We don’t even tell our guests, ‘See you tomorrow.’ Because we don’t actually know if we will see them tomorrow,” Dominguez-Stevens said. “We tell them have a safe night.”
The staff at Maryhouse always encourage departing guests to sleep under a light source, be around friends, make sure that someone in the group has a charged cellphone and have something that makes a lot of noise.
“Make sure there is a lot of noise that is made, so that somebody can come to your aid,” Dominguez-Stevens said. “But unfortunately, this is a population of folks who are pushed further and further into the margins. So, they’re finding themselves sleeping in spaces where they’re not as easily seen or heard.”
The Police Department asks anyone with information about Robbins’ death to call officers at 916-808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. Tips can also be submitted confidentially through the P3 Tips website and app.
