A view of Hollenbeck Park lake
A view of Hollenbeck Park lake. (Andrew Lopez / For Boyle Heights Beat)

Authorities are investigating after a person’s body was found in the lake at Hollenbeck Park on Thursday.

Just before 10:40 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a report of a body found in the lake in the 2000 block of Hollenbeck Drive, LAFD spokesperson Jamie Stewart said.

Footage from KTLA showed a body covered with a white sheet near the lake.

The Los Angeles Police Department was investigating the incident but had no further information.

Aracelly Cauich, who has helped build a network of mutual aid at Hollenbeck Park for people experiencing homelessness, was one of several community groups gathered at the scene.

She said she saw when the body was removed from the water but couldn’t tell if it was someone she had helped before.

“Me da tristeza,” she said. “It saddens me … I help people who live on the street and sometimes I learn that they died so I’m sensitive to hearing about these things.”

It’s unknown who the person was and how they ended up in the lake.

My background: I was part of the team that launched De Los, a new section of the Los Angeles Times exploring Latino identity. I’ve been a local reporter for The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and The Orange County Register. You can find my writing on religion, food, and culture in The Atlantic, Eater, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Religion News Service. My upbringing spans South Central, El Monte, and Pomona.

What I do: A Report for America corps member, I write about how decisions surrounding immigration, city hall, schools, health, religion and culture impact Boyle Heights and East LA. I do this by spending time with residents and community members, reaching out to civic and elected leaders, and by analyzing related research. I've also mentored Boyle Heights Beat youth journalists.

Why LA: It’s where I’m from. Reporting and living here means appreciating the different neighborhood identities that make up LA. Also, nothing beats walking along the LA River, hiking at Debs Park, or catching a sunset while running on the Sixth Street Bridge in Boyle Heights.

The best way to contact me: My email is alejandra.molina@boyleheightsbeat.org.

My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.

What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.

Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.

The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *