Officials say workers did not see the woman; her family disputes that account.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville officials are investigating the death of Tyrah Adams, a 35-year-old woman who was homeless and often stayed near a west Louisville alley, after she was picked up by sanitation equipment during a routine cleanup and later died, prompting questions about safety procedures and oversight.
Mayor Craig Greenberg has called the death a tragic accident and said there is no evidence of wrongdoing, while Louisville Metro Police Department detectives in the Public Integrity Unit review what happened. Public Works has said crews were clearing debris in an alley known for illegal dumping when Adams was concealed by trash. Adams’ relatives, backed by an attorney, say witness accounts and unanswered questions suggest the incident was preventable and that the city has not provided a full, clear timeline of events.
The cleanup occurred on Thu., Feb. 12, in the 2500 block of Cedar Street near 26th Street, city officials said. Police were dispatched at about 9 a.m. to the area of 26th Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard for a report of a person down. Emergency medical responders took a woman to a hospital before officers arrived, and she later died, officials said. Greenberg told reporters that sanitation crews did not see Adams among the trash as they worked in the alley. He said she was picked up by the truck’s equipment, moved to another spot, and suffered significant injuries that led to her death. Public Works has said the team was using a dump truck and a knuckle boom, a piece of equipment used to lift bulky debris.
Family members say what they have been told does not add up. Sandra Akers, Adams’ sister, said people who witnessed the cleanup told the family that Adams was lifted and then dropped somewhere in or near the alley. Akers said Adams then got up and walked to a nearby convenience store, where a worker called 911. Akers described Adams as disoriented and bleeding before she collapsed and was taken for treatment. The family’s attorney, Stephanie Rivas, said witnesses have confirmed that Adams was picked up and that the city’s public descriptions have been too vague to explain how the equipment was operated and why no one realized a person had been caught in the process.
Public Works has said the cleanup was routine and not triggered by complaints about a homeless encampment. The alley, the agency said, is a known site for illegal dumping and was filled with trash that concealed Adams. That framing has become a key point in the dispute: the city has emphasized concealment and the lack of evidence of wrongdoing, while the family argues that concealment is exactly why crews should take extra steps to inspect an area before moving debris. Rivas has said that if required precautions were followed, Adams would have been seen. Greenberg has said crews did not see her before she was lifted, and he has offered condolences while defending the initial assessment that the incident appears accidental.
The city has placed the employees involved on administrative leave, describing it as standard protocol during an active investigation. Officials have not identified the workers or released a detailed written incident report that explains whether workers exited the truck before using the equipment, what they could see from their position, or whether spotters were used. Police have said the Public Integrity Unit is leading the death investigation, but investigators have not announced a schedule for public updates, and city spokespeople have cited the ongoing investigation in declining to answer some follow-up questions.
The case is unfolding in a part of Louisville where illegal dumping has long been a recurring problem and where some residents say piles of debris can linger in alleys. Public Works has said the Cedar Street alley was filled with trash at the time of the cleanup. For people living without stable housing, such areas can become places to sleep or rest, sometimes shielded from street view. Adams’ family has said she often stayed near the alley, including in a large cardboard box close to trash. Friends in the neighborhood, the family said, checked on her regularly. Akers said her sister’s housing situation should have made city workers more alert, not less.
Akers said Adams had lived in Louisville for about three years. The family said those years included struggles with addiction and periods of homelessness, but also moments of support from people around her. Akers said relatives had been talking with Adams recently about entering sober living, and the family believed she might accept help. Akers described her sister as outgoing and loving, a person who made herself known in any room and who looked out for younger siblings. She said the family had lost contact at times, but kept trying to reconnect. After Adams’ death, Akers said she chose to speak publicly to push back against what she called cruel online comments that reduced Adams to a headline instead of a person.
Rivas has said her firm hired investigators to conduct a parallel review, gathering witness accounts while police conduct the official inquiry. The family has questioned what records exist from the truck and nearby locations, including whether any video footage could show the moments before and after Adams was lifted and where she was moved. City officials have not publicly released video, and the family has said they have not been shown all potential footage. Public Works has also not publicly described whether a 911 call came from workers at the scene, from the convenience store, or from another witness, and officials have not said how long it took for the injury to be reported through city channels.
In the days after the death, a memorial began to grow near the alley, with flowers and small items left behind. Akers said the memorial reflects the people who knew Adams and the life they want remembered. She said the family’s goal is to learn the full timeline and to see accountability if the investigation shows mistakes were made. Greenberg has maintained that it appears the crews did not see Adams and that there is no evidence of wrongdoing, but he has also said the city is treating the death seriously and that it is cooperating with investigators.
The investigation remains open, and no public decision has been announced on discipline, policy changes, or possible charges. Police have not said when a final report will be completed. Rivas has said the family will keep pressing for answers as investigators review witness statements, equipment records, and any available video. Akers said the family is seeking clarity on how a person could be swept up during a routine cleanup and why safeguards did not prevent it.
Author note: Last updated February 20, 2026.