Death of unhoused woman in Arlington sparks conversation on intervention options | ARLnow.com

The recent death of Carol Ann Sauer, a woman who spent much of the last two decades on Arlington’s streets, has sparked a conversation on intervention options in Virginia. Sauer, who was 66, died from complications related to pneumonia and sepsis. Her family highlighted the limited options available under state law for intervening on behalf of mentally ill loved ones who decline assistance. The obituary placed by the family in The Washington Post served as a call to action, seeking changes to Virginia law to provide more avenues to help those in similar circumstances.