Illustrative image of a person lying under a white covering on a sidewalk, reflecting the homelessness context surrounding the case. The person pictured is not Jessica Huoschke, the defendant in the article.
ST. CROIX — A woman described by police as a “vagrant” is facing burglary and larceny charges after a St. Croix resident said she first stopped to check on the woman while she was lying in the road, only to later discover her inside her bathroom and learn that food, perfume and towels had been taken from the home.
Police were called Tuesday afternoon following reports of a break-in. Responding officers encountered Jessica Huoschke on the resident’s porch, where police said she was refusing to leave. Officers recognized Ms. Huoschke from previous arrests and saw her holding a yellow box of perfume that the homeowner identified as hers.
The homeowner told officers that she had initially encountered Ms. Huoschke while driving home and noticed her lying in the middle of the road. She stopped and got out of her vehicle to check on the prone woman, but said Ms. Huoschke suddenly got up, startling her. Rattled by the encounter, the resident continued to her nearby home.
After arriving, the woman said she ate lunch in the dining room and later went to her bedroom. When her boss called, she moved to the living room sofa to take the call. During the conversation, she looked to her left and saw Ms. Huoschke inside her bathroom.
The homeowner told police she had to look several times before registering that the person inside her home was the same woman she had encountered lying in the road. Once she recognized her, she screamed at Ms. Huoschke to leave.
As Ms. Huoschke exited, she allegedly took several of the resident’s belongings, including the box of perfume and towels. The homeowner also told investigators that a plate of food she had brought home had been eaten.
The resident believed Ms. Huoschke may have entered through the front door, which she had closed but not locked when she arrived home.
The circumstances emerge as homelessness and food insecurity are drawing heightened concern from territorial agencies and nonprofit providers. During Friday’s Continuum of Care Council on Homelessness meeting, officials warned that already-strained social services could face greater pressure when new SNAP work and volunteer requirements take effect Sept. 1, potentially affecting as many as 5,000 Virgin Islanders.
Providers said they are already seeing longer lines at food distributions, new faces seeking assistance and more people living in vehicles or otherwise experiencing unstable housing. Continuum of Care Chair Danny Derima described the territory’s homelessness situation as reaching a “crisis position,” while other participants warned that worsening food insecurity could push more residents toward homelessness and place additional pressure on government and nonprofit resources.
There is no indication in the police account that Ms. Huoschke’s circumstances are connected to SNAP benefits or the upcoming changes. However, police specifically described her as a “vagrant,” placing the case against a broader backdrop of growing concern about homelessness and unmet basic needs in the territory.
Ms. Huoschke was arrested and charged with second-degree burglary, trespassing and petit larceny. She was remanded into custody pending her first court appearance before Magistrate Yolan Brow Ross.
During Wednesday’s proceeding, Judge Brow Ross noted that attempting to advise Ms. Huoschke of her rights was “an unsuccessful feat.” After two attempts, the matter was continued to Friday.
As of press time, Superior Court records indicated that Ms. Huoschke’s second advice-of-rights hearing had been held, but the outcome had not yet been made available to the public.
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