San Diego Junkyard

Lorenza Cardenas and her two daughters were living in a small storage unit in a junkyard in Logan Heights - until things finally turned around for the family. (Published Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015)

Lorenza Cardenas and her two daughters, 8-year-old Alexis and 11-year-old Mercedes finally feel safe.

They're now living in a small apartment in Logan Heights – a stark contrast to the place they once called home.

"I feel good. I feel better than over there. I feel the hope again. Over there I had no hope, " said Cardenas.

SDPD Helps Families Living in Logan Heights Junkyard

The news often reports on police responding to crime scenes and traffic accidents, but this story by NBC 7's May Tjoa is about officers going above and beyond. A police radio call in Logan Heights is leading to lasting change in that community. (Published Saturday, Nov. 3, 2015)

Several other people lived inside the junkyard, in makeshift dwellings and trailers. They all shared one bathroom.

It also was packed with unwanted cars and bicycles, along with discarded appliances, wood planks, and pipes.

Cardenas said she was worried about her two young daughters when they lived there.

That's not the case anymore.

Mercedes said she's happy to live in a better environment, where she also has other kids to play with.

“I feel we don't have to be scared of going outside, " the girl said.

The junkyard wasn't visible from the street because it was enclosed with a solid, metal fence and locked. Only residents could get inside.

Then last fall, the Cardenas family got help.

San Diego police officers responded to a radio call inside the junkyard.

Officers witnessed the living conditions and returned with an electric stove they purchased with their own money.

San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Officer Ricardo Rivas, a 16-year veteran of the department, said he had never seen anything like the living conditions at the junkyard.

"It was just devastating. It broke our hearts, " Officer Rivas said.

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