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Missed debris collection blamed for woman's broken leg

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BATON ROUGE - Calls to 2 On Your Side report that spring debris collection in East Baton Rouge Parish is still a slow process in some areas. One woman tripped and fell on some debris that she says has been at the curb for about a month.

Shirley Strickland says she's made multiple phone calls to ask for help. She's called the City-Parish call center and Republic Services to service her street. Before the issue was addressed, Strickland fell and hurt herself. Now she's wondering why her calls went unanswered.

"I'm disappointed, I'm angry that I had to get a broken leg," said Strickland.

Monday morning, Strickland says she was walking her dog when she tripped over some debris that was laying on the sidewalk.

"I saw it so I was stepping over it and when I did, it wrapped my right leg and I fell," she said.

According to the City-Parish Open Data Website, Strickland's initial call about the missed debris collection was made April 11. She tripped over the debris April 16. Strickland says she pays for a service she isn't receiving.

"I had called five times," she said.

A representative at the Solid Waste Division says Republic Services has recently been behind.

The City-Parish says Republic fell behind prior to Easter due to the large influx of yard cleaning that happened following winter. The City-Parish says Republic is now all caught up and there is no longer any backlog. If a service is missed, citizens are encouraged to report it the 311 system and it will be picked up as soon as possible.

Strickland is wondering why she was passed up.

"They never returned my call," said Strickland. "No one ever came."

Following inquiries made by 2 On Your Side, Strickland said the debris at her neighbor's house was collected around 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. There's no indication as to why that collection was passed over.

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