Lynwood family's home severely damaged during massive search for carjacking suspect
LYNWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- When Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies launched a massive response in a Lynwood neighborhood, what we couldn't see is the series of events it triggered for one unsuspecting family left cleaning up the mess.
"I told my kids to run. When they realized what was going on also they start running," said Sandra Orellana.
Orellana says she was leaving when a man ran toward her home.
"He checked my back gate door. He realized it was unlocked and he made it in my backyard," she said.
There was damage to a door that an armed sheriff's unit ripped through and plenty of broken glass.
"Our family did our best to help with the situation with our video."
She says inside it's uninhabitable.
"Tear gas bombs, whatever they're called, I'm not sure. You know everything's upside down, everything's all over the place. We've done what we could, but the smell is too intense," said Orellana.
The Lynwood resident is a mother of three. The oldest is a sole provider right now and had to take time off work.
"A friend of mine got us a motel down the street and last night again they had to put us up. The owner did offer to also provide me with some money for room and board for the next two days."
ABC7 spoke with a sheriff's department captain who says they're working to expedite the process of obtaining funds to pay for a hotel stay if needed, and that "civil litigation investigators" would assist with guidance on the reimbursement process for other costs.
"If it wasn't for friends and family, me and my kids wouldn't be eating right now. We have been told that basically, I'm going to have to replace everything in my home when it comes to furniture stuff because of the chemicals," said Orellana.
In the meantime, the family set up a GoFundMe account to meet their expenses and are trying to keep a positive outlook.
"I'm still hopeful that we're going to come out of this. As a single mother I have to be hopeful, and I have to try to be, you know, supermom and take care of everything."
Armed carjacking suspect in custody after massive search in Lynwood
