MELBOURNE, Fla. – David Thornton said he saved up all year to travel home to Melbourne so he could visit friends and family for a week of camping at Wickham Park.
But when he got to his camp site, he was shocked when discovering the number of homeless people there.
Recommended Videos
Within a day, Melbourne police were called to the park.
“Open drunkenness (and) stumbling around drunk,” Thornton said. “I mean they were like zombies. That’s the best way to describe them.”
A Brevard County Parks and Recreational official said the park added three weekly patrols, starting at night.
As of now, it’s unclear how long the extra patrols will be at the park.
Terri Moore, who works as a volunteer caseworker at a nearby church, said that several churches use Wickham Park to house Melbourne’s homeless in dire situations.
“If someone has an emergency need with a family, they may come into us and we will help get them a week here at the park,” Moore said. “We will pay for that. If they don’t have a tent, we usually have resources that we can find them a tent for here.”
Thornton said he cut his vacation short because of the criminal activity he said he witnessed at the park. He was refunded for his stay.