CALIFORNIA – Maria Dolores Diaz, an active organizer and educator in the Chicano movement, was a resident at the almost 4-year-old LGBT-centric affordable housing facility at Triangle Square in Hollywood.
Triangle Square is marketed as, “a unique model of care that has been established to support and encourage seniors to live independently while making onsite social services, case management, nutrition programs, housing retention, aging in place, health and wellness programs available to everyone.”
But, Diaz died recently, raising a number of questions about the circumstances of her death and how the non-profit Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing (GLEH) operates Triangle Square.
After the Los Angeles County coroner placed a blue seal on her door early on Sunday, Jan. 16, rumors started swirling that Diaz may have committed suicide or been murdered. A community meeting was called on Jan. 18 to talk about what happened.
Sheila Moore, GLEH’s Director of Programs and Community Outreach, led the meeting with GLEH Executive Director Mark Supper and the building manager standing nearby. Moore was sensitive to the concerns of the 40-45 residents who attended the meeting
Moore tried to address the reaction to the “unexpected” death, noting that the coroner’s blue seal did not indicate that this was a crime scene but rather secured the apartment for the person Diaz indicated would come for her belongings. Moore also noted that the coroner said Diaz died of “natural causes” and her death was not “pre-planned,” that is, not a suicide.
In fact, the official report (which varies slightly from Moore’s account) of that night indicates that the security guard was first alerted to a “foul odor” coming from Diaz’s apartment by a friend of the tenant. “From my ex- perience, it smelled like a foul odor coming from a deceased person,” the report reads.
Unable to reach the apartment manager by phone, the guard called the authorities. Diaz was found “lying face down deceased on the bedroom floor.” The coroner determined that she died of “natural causes” and sealed the apartment.
Some residents and others impacted by Diaz’s death question why it took so long to discover her body. During the community meeting, it was revealed that there are no mechanisms or systems (such as a “panic button” or buddy system) in place to check on residents.
Despite Triangle Square’s marketing claims, Supper said in a statement to the local newspaper, “Triangle Square is an independent living facility and not a medical facility, assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Programs are all voluntary and are in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents based on each individual person’s choosing.”
