In a harrowing encounter that underscores a growing issue in Los Angeles, Kyrstin Munson, a tech executive and expectant mother, found herself in a distressing situation while out for a walk with her nearly two-year-old daughter in their Hollywood neighborhood.
On an otherwise ordinary Sunday, Munson and her daughter came across two individuals, seemingly homeless and struggling with addiction, obstructing their path. Pregnant and concerned for the safety of both her young daughter and unborn child, Munson faced the daunting choice between navigating past the unsettling figures and veering into six lanes of traffic. Opting for the former, she hurried by, her heart racing with fear.
Once safely home yet still shaken by the ordeal, Munson took to social media to share a photograph of the unsettling encounter and relay her frightening experience. Her post quickly gained traction, resonating with many who recognize the precarious state of even the more affluent areas of Los Angeles.
“At 10 months pregnant in LA, trying to enjoy a ‘relaxing’ walk with my 2-year-old, and we find ourselves trapped by two ‘zombies,'” Munson wrote in a widely shared post on X, accompanied by an image of her daughter approaching the menacing figures clad in black on a Los Angeles sidewalk.
“My heart is pounding, and my fight-or-flight response is in overdrive—definitely not what I need just before going into labor. All I can focus on is protecting my kids while the city seemingly crumbles around us,” she concluded.
“My heart is pounding, fight-or-flight in full blast is the LAST thing my body needs right before labor. All I can think about is protecting my kids while the city falls apart around us,” she added.
The post has since been read and seen more than 367,000 times.
The worried mom wrote that she voted for Mayor Karen Bass and District Four City Councilmember Nithya Raman, but she’s fed up with those two and will instead be voting for Spencer Pratt in the upcoming mayoral election.
“I voted for you. I defended you. But you’ve lost my trust,” wrote Munson. “Enough. I’m done watching my community live in fear.”
“I’m taking a chance on @spencerpratt – someone who’ll actually demand transparency, accountability, and results,” she added.
“My kids won’t grow up in this hellhole. Time for real change.”
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Munson told The Post she was merely trying to walk with her daughter to Bristol Farms when she came upon the scary scene on Sunday roughly two blocks from the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and Fairfax Ave.
“I was scared. Then shocked it was so bad this time. Then furious,” said Munson, a former neighborhood council rep. “I’ve been part of lots of neighborhood meetings and know how stretched the city is.”
Earlier that day, Munson said she was out at medical appointments with her daughter, and “had to walk around multiple people passed out on the sidewalk.”
Munson and her daughter got home safe, and she posted about the incident that evening.
Within hours, thousands of people had read what Munson wrote.
As of Monday, there were 730 responses to the post.
“In Austin Texas, I have the same experience regularly,” wrote one X user who goes by the handle @ErinMondays.
“Not quite at scale but still terrible I’m sorry,” she added. “Rooting for Spencer!!!”
Munson replied to a number of sympathetic comments to the post, but later the overdue mom shut down her social media feed to conserve energy.
“I’m literally trying to go into labor any day this week and need to keep my stress levels super low,” she said.
