I think one of the most difficult challenges when writing about Camden is displaying how heartbreaking it can be, without reveling in negativity. Compassionate, well-researched exposés on Camden’s darker corners have an important place in civic dialogue. In that spirit, I wanted to highlight a heart-breaking story by Andy McNeil on Stephanie Luttrell that deals with crime and tragedy in what I thought to be a respectful and human way:
“I’d often find her slumped over; she’d often take the whole pack,” the 52-year-old said. “It went from that to worse things and worse things and worse things, and eventually she just found Camden.
“And once she found Camden, there was no stopping her.”
Luttrell’s family did all they could to help her break the cycle, including sending her to rehab five times.
Kathy Luttrell recalled her daughter doing better about a half-dozen years ago. She was working and living in her own place in Moorestown and had regained custody of her twin sons, now 11, from the state.
But all that changed when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
“She was in constant pain all the time,” her mother said. “I think that she … just gave up.”
…
Photo by Jodi Samsel, Courier-Post
While investigating the slaying, Longo said he kept hearing about “gorilla pimps” from people on the streets.
The term — one the detective hadn’t heard before — refers to those who skip more subtle coercion techniques in favor of violence when preying on the women.
“They just beat the (expletive) out of girls until they either give up either a bag of crack or 10 bucks so they can buy a bag of crack,” Longo said. “That’s their motive.”
Antinore also has noticed this trend of predators who differ from the typical profile.
Compounding the problem is that many prostitutes are likely to ignore precautions in favor of getting their next fix — especially those addicted to heroin who may be suffering withdrawal symptoms known as the “dope flu.”
Please, go read the whole thing.
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