It’s the story that won’t end—and now, it’s getting stranger.
Just last week, we told you that a Scioto County Grand Jury had indicted a 44-year-old homeless woman on multiple felony charges, sparking hope that she might finally be properly evaluated and treated. With seven open cases now pending in Scioto County Common Pleas Court, many thought this was the turning point.
It wasn’t.
On Friday morning, just after 10 a.m., officers were called to the Gazebo at 2nd and Market Street after reports that the woman was taking a bath in public—cussing, yelling, and causing a scene in front of stunned witnesses. Officers spoke to her and told her to move along. And just like that, she was free to wander the streets again.
📜 A Record That Keeps Growing
This isn’t an isolated incident. The woman has been arrested dozens of times, often multiple times in a single day, for everything from disorderly conduct to theft and burglary. Recent indictments include:
- Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Receiving Stolen Property
- Vandalism
- Burglary (June)
- Theft (June)
And yet, she continues to be released—because Portsmouth lacks the facilities and resources to treat someone in such visible crisis.
🧠 Too Sick for Jail, Not “Sick Enough” for Treatment
Officers frequently note that she isn’t intoxicated—she’s severely mentally ill. But without inpatient psychiatric beds or a crisis stabilization center, police and courts have few options beyond arrest and release.
That means she’s too sick for the system to ignore, but not “sick enough” for long-term intervention. The result? Portsmouth’s streets have become the holding cell.
😡 Public Patience Wearing Thin
Neighbors, business owners, and even homeowners are at the breaking point. One man told police after yet another incident:
“Next time she shows up on my porch, I’m not calling. I’ll handle it myself.”
Police warned against vigilante action, but the frustration is clear. Residents are tired of seeing the same faces in crisis with no resolution.
🏚️ An Open-Air Crisis Center
From parks to porches to public gazebos, Portsmouth has become what one officer called an open-air psychiatric ward—a place where the untreated mentally ill cycle endlessly between sidewalks, squad cars, ER rooms, and jail cells.
💡 The Real Solution Isn’t Jail
The community is demanding answers, but the real fix won’t come from another arrest. It will take:
- Inpatient mental health beds in Scioto County
- Crisis stabilization centers to intervene before jail becomes the only option
- Transitional housing and treatment programs that offer more than a night in lockup
- Court-mandated mental health care that prioritizes treatment over revolving-door arrests
For now, Portsmouth’s most infamous homeless woman—despite seven open felony cases—is back on the streets. And the question remains: how many more bizarre, dangerous, or tragic headlines will it take before the system changes?
