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- Woman picked up by garbage truck and crushed to death (themirror.com)
A Louisville family is grappling with grief and considering legal action following the tragic death of Tyrah Adams, 35, who was fatally injured by a garbage truck during a routine alley cleanup on February 12.
Adams, who was homeless and known to live behind a local convenience store, suffered blunt force trauma after being caught by the truck’s mechanical claw. Initially, city officials described the incident as a tragic accident, stating that Adams had “come in contact” with the vehicle and was not visible to the crew during the pickup.
Mayor Craig Greenburg explained that Adams was concealed within the trash that was collected and moved before being hauled away, and that she was injured during this process without the operators’ awareness.
However, Adams’s family and their attorney, Stephanie Rivas, contest this account. Rivas insists that Adams did not accidentally encounter the truck but was physically lifted, compressed, and dropped by the machine, then left unattended. Witnesses reportedly informed police that the operator exited the vehicle after dropping Adams back onto the ground.
Rivas criticized the sanitation crew for failing to inspect the area thoroughly before collecting the garbage, emphasizing that such an inspection would have revealed Adams’s presence and prevented the tragedy. After being dropped, Adams managed to reach the convenience store but collapsed at the entrance.
She was discovered by a store employee and a customer who called 911. At that time, she was bleeding heavily and unable to speak.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, Adams did not survive.
The family expresses deep frustration not only over the circumstances of Adams’s death but also because the sanitation workers allegedly did not seek medical help immediately. Her sister, Sarah Akers, conveyed the family’s anger at the lack of assistance following the incident.
In response, Louisville city officials have suspended the sanitation workers involved. Meanwhile, Adams’s family is pursuing compensation and has voiced concerns about the lack of transparency, noting they have not been allowed to view the video footage examined by law enforcement.
“We just want answers and justice for her,” Akers said, highlighting the family’s ongoing search for clarity in the wake of this devastating loss.
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- Woman picked up by garbage truck and crushed to death (themirror.com)