bloodrayne
07-31-2006, 01:15 AM
Elderly Woman Lives In Her Car
Cleveland, Ohio - It's a story we didn't believe ourselves until we came by her house.
If you look through the rear window of the Buick parked among weeds you see Janie Howard sitting, eating and basically living out of her car.
Perhaps out of embarrasment, or fear, the elderly woman didn't want to talk to us at first. But we couldn't leave.
When asked if she really has been living in her car for years, Howard said "I don't live in the car, I just drive the car and happen to be in the car. But no, I don't live in my car, I can go into the house any time I want to."
When further asked if she sleeps in her car Howard said "now that I do a lot of times because I'm sleepy and I go to sleep in it. It's a comfortable car."
Howards' yard is covered with garbage; it's overgrown with weeds, filled with cats and dogs, and likely infested with rats, bugs and snakes.
We never went inside her house, but the roof in the back is crushed by a fallen tree.
Neighbor Leola Barrett said "well honey the odor, and everything, it's a disgrace to live next to her. It's a shame, it's pitiful."
Neighbors like Barrett have been complaining about the mess. But they haven't been next door.
We asked Barrett if she ever got concerned about Howard when it gets hot or cold and she said "no sir, I don't bother. I just don't bother, period."
When asked if she tried to talk with her nieghbor Barrett said "no sir."
We spoke with Howards' family in Cleveland by telephone and they confirmed she has been living in the car for several years. However they said they don't want to be interviewed and they don't want to have anything to do with the story or the situation.
Howards' family also said they have tried to help her but she refuses assistance.
So no family, friends, or neighbors will come to Howards' house.
"Well if they'd come by and speak to me and say something I'd tell them I'm fine, but I don't ever see them. I don't know why this is as big, or this is a mystery to me as it is to everybody else. I don't know what's going on."
Bradley County Building inspector Tina Rice said she got physically ill when she visited Ms. Howards' house at High and 12th Streets.
Rice said she gave Howard some numbers of agencies that might help, but Howard doesn't ask for help.
http://www.newschannel9.com/engine.pl?station=wtvc&id=5688&template=breakout_story1.shtml&dateformat=%M+%e,%Y
Cleveland, Ohio - It's a story we didn't believe ourselves until we came by her house.
If you look through the rear window of the Buick parked among weeds you see Janie Howard sitting, eating and basically living out of her car.
Perhaps out of embarrasment, or fear, the elderly woman didn't want to talk to us at first. But we couldn't leave.
When asked if she really has been living in her car for years, Howard said "I don't live in the car, I just drive the car and happen to be in the car. But no, I don't live in my car, I can go into the house any time I want to."
When further asked if she sleeps in her car Howard said "now that I do a lot of times because I'm sleepy and I go to sleep in it. It's a comfortable car."
Howards' yard is covered with garbage; it's overgrown with weeds, filled with cats and dogs, and likely infested with rats, bugs and snakes.
We never went inside her house, but the roof in the back is crushed by a fallen tree.
Neighbor Leola Barrett said "well honey the odor, and everything, it's a disgrace to live next to her. It's a shame, it's pitiful."
Neighbors like Barrett have been complaining about the mess. But they haven't been next door.
We asked Barrett if she ever got concerned about Howard when it gets hot or cold and she said "no sir, I don't bother. I just don't bother, period."
When asked if she tried to talk with her nieghbor Barrett said "no sir."
We spoke with Howards' family in Cleveland by telephone and they confirmed she has been living in the car for several years. However they said they don't want to be interviewed and they don't want to have anything to do with the story or the situation.
Howards' family also said they have tried to help her but she refuses assistance.
So no family, friends, or neighbors will come to Howards' house.
"Well if they'd come by and speak to me and say something I'd tell them I'm fine, but I don't ever see them. I don't know why this is as big, or this is a mystery to me as it is to everybody else. I don't know what's going on."
Bradley County Building inspector Tina Rice said she got physically ill when she visited Ms. Howards' house at High and 12th Streets.
Rice said she gave Howard some numbers of agencies that might help, but Howard doesn't ask for help.
http://www.newschannel9.com/engine.pl?station=wtvc&id=5688&template=breakout_story1.shtml&dateformat=%M+%e,%Y