A homeless woman died of exposure on skid row Thursday during the El Nino storm, according to a published report.
The woman, 60-year-old Barbara Brown, died rain-soaked and wrapped in a wet blanket on a piece of plastic, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday.
Los Angeles police said Brown earlier refused the Los Angeles Homeless Authority’s offer of shelter the day before she died, and that authorities didn’t have the power to force Brown to seek shelter without her consent, according to the Times.
Friends said Brown — described as having drinking and mental health problems — previously refused help, going to the length of saying she wasn’t homeless, the Times reported.
Brown stayed near the downtown Hotel Ellis at Stanford and Sixth streets, the Times said.
