In an unprecedented spike, 326 individuals facing homelessness have tragically lost their lives this year in Bexar County, a significant jump from last year's count. According to data shared by the San Antonio non-profit SAMMinistries, this staggering number includes people on the streets, in shelters, and ranges from a heartbreaking 11-day-old infant to a 94-year-old elder. This information comes directly from a San Antonio Report that covered the sharp rise in deaths among the homeless.
Despite the city's funding toward mitigating homelessness, and the strength of the response system that has been put in place, the figure almost doubled from 2022's count which, in itself, had more than doubled from the numbers recorded in 2021. SAMMinistries' President and CEO Nikisha Baker expressed her frustration to the San Antonio Report, saying,“We’re the seventh largest city in America, we’re the most industrialized nation in the world and we’re letting our children and our seniors die.”
Among the dead is one person whom Adan Perez, spent weeks searching for, uncertain of their fate until the dreaded confirmation came in. He told KSAT about his grief: "I haven’t seen her in a long time, I miss her." Marty Saldana, a long-term resident of the streets, also mourned a friend he lost to an overdose.
According to Nikisha Baker, of around 80 cases where the cause of death is known, overdose and addiction seem prominent. This trend resonates with the statements made to KSAT regarding the struggle for substance abuse within the homeless community.
Ed Penix, 63, was experiencing homelessness when he was arrested for criminal trespassing at a VIA Metropolitan Transit bus stop. After being arrested for refusing to vacate a bus stop, the 63-year-old, suffering from unchecked diabetes and mental health issues, died within five days of being in custody. Sheriff Javier Salazar affirmed "This gentleman should not have been in our custody in the first place. He was homeless, mentally ill, and had major medical issues. Jails are not the appropriate place for people in those situations."
