The deaths of a mother and an army veteran whose bodies were found in a homeless camp in Los Angeles were governed by the accident due to drug use.
On May 12, 46-year-old Lucrecia Macias Barajas was found dead in a sidewalk tent that was reportedly trapped in the Westlake area near downtown LA.
Inside the tent is the remains of Barajas and the man, and is now identified as Freddie Pojoy Sackey (39). The nature of their relationship was unknown.
On July 9, the LA County Medical Examination Office announced that both Barajas and Saji had died from the effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Their deaths were by chance controlled.
Lucrecia Barajas, 46, an Army veteran and mother of six, can be seen in a family photo. Lucrecia Barajas, 46, is an Army veteran and mother of six, and can be seen in a family photo. The homeless camp in the Westlake area of LA will be seen on May 14, 2025 after the bodies of two individuals were found. (KTLA) The homeless camp in the Westlake area of LA will be seen on May 14, 2025 after the bodies of two individuals were found. (KTLA) Lucrecia Barajas (center) can be seen with family and loved ones. Lucrecia Barajas’ daughter, Enly Becerra, will speak to KTLA on May 30, 2025 in honor of her mother. Barajas was found. (KTLA) We gathered in the Westlake area near downtown LA for a candle vigil on May 30, 2025, near where Lucrecia Barajas’ body was found. (KTLA) Authorities are currently investigating after two bodies were found in a homeless camp in Los Angeles’ Westlake area on May 12, 2025. (KTLA)
In early May, Barajas’ daughters said they left the house on the Saturday before Mother’s Day.
After she went missing for several days and the family was unable to reach her, they eventually traced her cell phone signal to an encampment near downtown, where her daughter made a horrifying discovery.
Neighbors said at least one of the bodies found in the tent was partially eaten by the dog.
Los Angeles police were investigating the incident as suspected overdose despite family objections. Her daughters said they were not sure why her mother went to camp that day, but at the time they believed the circumstances surrounding her death were suspicious.
Born in Nicaragua, Barajas fled with his family in 1986 amid the country’s civil war. She later joined the US military between the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was a mother of six children.
Her daughters told the Los Angeles Times they believe their mothers have begun using methamphetamine as a way to raise six children, work full time and combat stage 3 lymphoma. They reportedly were unaware of her mother’s drug use at the time, but she eventually calmed down.
Barajas’ loved ones described her as a generous person who often delivers food to people struggling on the streets.
“Lucrecia was a wonderful man and served our country,” said longtime friend Stephanie Torres.
“She had her life before her,” said Eiser Becerra, Barajas’ daughter. “She was still very young.”
The homeless camp where Barajas was discovered remains a chronic problem for many residents. Many residents say the area is attracting criminal activity, drug use and safety risks.
Neighbors said the district has been ignored by city officials and despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done to curb the growing issues.
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