Weird, Odd News: Homeless Grandmother Arrested 59 Times in 6 Years
Anne Moody is not your typical criminal. She doesn't deal drugs and isn't in a gang. But the homeless grandmother, who lives on Skid Row in Los Angeles, is the most-arrested person in the city. Moody's been arrested 59 times in six years.
Moody doesn't want to live in a shelter, she actually prefers living on Skid Row. She's spent time in jail, but always winds back on the streets.
Moody has been convicted 14 times and spent 15 months in jail in total. All of her rehabilitation attempts have cost taxpayers at least $250,000.
Current law states that homeless people can sleep on sidewalks overnight but must leave by 6 a.m. the following morning. If not, they face charges. Most of them move, but Moody is one who stands her ground.
There are over 1,000 street dwellers on Skid Row and police say that Moody's insistance on staying on the streets encourages other homeless individuals to stay as well. This prevents recent efforts to clean up Skid Row.
"Ms. Moody's case represents an extreme, including her repeated disinterest in complying with rules that everybody else complies with," City Atty. Mike Feuer said.
Moody says Skid Row is "part of her destiny" and she doesn't appreciate being moved around from shelter to shelter.
She believes she's been homeless for about two decades. She considers it a part of her life and wouldn't even take a free apartment if it was given to her.
Moody has spent nights in jail for her refusal to stay off the streets. She'll spend a night in jail and head right back to her spot on 6th and Towne.
Moody has a daughter, Taren, who is 39. She feels bad for her mother and doesn't want her living on the streets, but says her mother doesn't listen to anyone.
Mental evaluations have been performed on Moody, but she hasn't been diagnosed with anything, according to the LA Times.
Despite all the efforts and trials, authorities just can't seem to get Moody off the streets. It's where she prefers to be and it might be where she'll remain.