Mt. Kisco Homeless Man’s Death Spurs Push to Reach Those in Need

Mount Kisco officials are searching for ways they can partner with county government and various organizations to reach the village’s homeless population after a man was found dead in the woods three days before Christmas.

Authorities are still awaiting toxicology results in the death of 59-year-old Adalmo Ramirez-Garcia, who was discovered in a wooded area near Lexington Avenue and Lieto Drive on Dec. 22. The village is once again grappling with how to make it clear to people that there are local resources available within Mount Kisco and where they can turn to for help.

“You hate seeing something like this happen,” said Mayor Michael Cindrich. “Three days before Christmas. He was a human being in the wooded areas of Mount Kisco. It’s a tragedy.”

Westchester County police said an officer on patrol was flagged down by passerby who requested a welfare check on a possibly intoxicated man shortly before 9 a.m. The officer determined the man, who was later identified as Ramirez-Garcia, was dead. Police also noted that there were several open containers of alcohol near his body.

Detectives responded to the scene before he was taken away by the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s officer. There were no signs of any injuries suffered by Ramirez-Garcia, and the death was determined not to be suspicious, law enforcement authorities said.

Weather records indicated that Dec. 22 was the coldest day of the season so far, with high temperatures failing to exceed 20 degrees and lows in the single digits.

Cindrich, a retired police lieutenant, said despite resources based in Mount Kisco such as the Emergency Shelter Partnership, an effort by about 30 houses of worship to provide food and overnight shelter for the homeless from fall to early spring, and the county’s Mobile Crisis Response Team, which accompany police on calls to respond to people with mental health issues.

While it isn’t yet know whether Ramirez-Garcia was intoxicated or in need of mental health assistance, most shelters do not accept inebriated people, Cindrich said. Furthermore, police have limited authority in dealing with someone who is drunk, unless they are disorderly, carrying an open container of alcohol, drugs or are committing some other offense, he said.

“I don’t know if this particular person tried to go to a shelter or he just resigned himself to whatever he did in the trail area,” Cindrich said. “We have all the assets we need in place. It’s just a matter getting the response.”

Although there are multiple resources available, Village Trustee Tom Luzio said what’s missing is a coordinated response between the agencies and organizations that play a role in helping people in need receive assistance when they are in crisis.

County and local government, the police, the local court system, the Mobile Crisis Response Team and various agencies and organizations, such as Neighbors Link and the Interfaith Food Pantry and possibly other entities all have a role to play in hopes of addressing the homeless problem in the village, he said.

First, the local officials have to determine the scope of the problem and then find a way to get all the parties on board. It also takes multiple efforts with some people who need help to get them the help that could turn around their life.

“So what we as a village need to do is to bring everyone together in that long list of groups I just said, identify the severity of the problem,” said Luzio, who worked to help establish addiction programs while serving for many years in the Westchester County District Attorney’s office. “If we get statistics from each of those agencies, from our courts, the police, shelters to identify how many, by and large, are we talking about, and then perhaps through county programs.”

One idea Luzio would like to propose is hiring a social worker to help coordinate the efforts between the multiple departments and organizations.

Neighbors Link Executive Director Carola Bracco said that Ramirez-Garcia had been a regular participant in the organization’s programs, having attending English classes at its headquarters on Columbus Avenue in the village as having been part of the worker center to find employment.

“We’re very heartbroken, we’re very sorry to have this loss, the loss of human life,” Bracco said.

Bracco was unable to speak toward any problems that Ramirez-Garcia may have had, but said Mount Kisco has plenty of resources. Convincing people to avail themselves of those resources can be problematic.

“Not every one of the people who need services will always access those services, and that’s actually one of the challenges,” she said.

Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora said determining the scope of the homeless population in the village can be difficult because by some accounts some of the individuals and the number of them change over time. Flora said county police officers who patrol the area see plenty of new faces on a fairly consistent basis.

Then there are some people who refuse services that are available to them, she said. Others may seek help for a drinking or substance abuse issue but there is no follow-up to see how they’re doing.

“We’re all at a loss,” Flora said. “If an individual, a grown man or a woman doesn’t want help, what are you going to do?

Sometimes the activity by the homeless doesn’t warrant a police response.

“It’s frustrating for everyone, but it’s what it is,” she added. “Everyone is working within the confines of the law.”

However, Cindrich said that the police officers do intervene if a person is in distress, particularly medically, and they have the authority to call for emergency medical personnel.

“Action will be taken, but it’s an issue of telling people to get help, and that’s the challenge,” Cindrich said.

Martin Wilbur

Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/