Seal Beach Police officers, with the support of the Seal Beach Police Foundation and local Churches, reunited a local homeless woman with her son.
Since January of 2017, Seal Beach Police Officers have been receiving calls about a homeless woman, identified by the SBPD as Maria Ursu, living in and around Seal Beach. She had been offered assistance and social services on a number of occasions, but had always refused help. Approximately two weeks ago, Maria came to the Seal Beach Police station and requested assistance with finding her son, who lived in Chicago. She did not know here he lived and had no address or phone number for him. Using social media, Officers were able to track him down and contact him. He stated he hadn’t seen his mother in years and was very willing to assist her and take her into his home. Unfortunately, Maria had left the station and Officers were unable to assist her.
On Oct. 5, 2018, Officer Jacob Fillers located Maria on a bus bench at Seal Beach Bouelvard and Pacific Coast Highway. She was transported to Seal Beach PD and, with the assistance of Corporal Brian Gray, contacted her son by telephone. He was ecstatic, and was willing to pick her up at the airport but he could not afford the plane ticket.
The Seal Beach Police Foundation provides a funded credit card to the Seal Beach Police Department specifically to support with assisting the homeless. A plane ticket was purchased for Maria; unfortunately Maria did not have any identification, due to it being stolen several years earlier. Corporal Gray explained the situation to United Airlines, and they agreed to accept Maria as a passenger with a police report documenting the theft of her identification. Additionally, Maria had very few personal items. The local churches in Seal Beach combine their resources and provide the Seal Beach Police Department with backpacks containing clothing, food gift certificates and toiletries. Maria was given one of the backpacks to assist her on her journey. Maria was transported to the airport and flew to Chicago. She was met by her son.
In a statement to the press, the Seal Beach Police Department thanked the Seal Beach Police Foundation, United Airlines and the local churches for their support and assistance.
