Remembering Our Dead

Hope Lyca Youngblood

Hope died after being struck by multiple vehicles on a freeway, but only one driver stopped. Before being hit she had reportedly been sitting on the central divider.

It is not known whether her death was accidental or intentional.

Hope Lyca Youngblood was 49 years old when she was killed in vehicular incident in Los Angeles on June 7, 2025. Hope identified as a trans woman.

"[They were] struck and killed Saturday by multiple vehicles near a freeway offramp to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway in the Palms community of Los Angeles, authorities said. The crash occurred about 6:10 a.m. on the eastbound freeway, at the La Cienega Boulevard offramp, according to the California Highway Patrol. The victim, who was wearing a black shirt and blue shorts, had been sitting on top of the center divider. They were struck by multiple vehicles", the CHP said.

Sadly, reporting in Los Angeles misgendered Hope. Her family does not.

I’ve been mulling over Hope’s death – clearly violent, but was it an accident? I came across the California Highway Patrol’s log of that morning. It seems conflicting reports on whether Hope was trying to cross the highway or standing on the divider, or perhaps both? It does suggest one vehicle who struck her stopped to call first responders, remaining on the scene. So that driver didn’t commit a criminal act, but what about the others of the “multiple vehicles” - did they stop? Does it matter?

Yes, it matters. When you hit a human body with your car, you stop. You answer questions. You learn the name of the person so you can carry them forward with you when you are next behind the wheel.

And now maybe you find out how to get someone sitting on a divider safely across the road.

Hope was originally from Mayfield, Kentucky. Her brother paints a vivid picture of a person who was incredibly creative and proud of her trans identity:

“She was an avid record collector, a talented visual artist and writer, an absolute shredder on guitar, a cigar connoisseur, and a proud trans woman. We ask that you respect Hope’s name and pronouns. Her trans identity was one of the few things that brought her joy and peace in the last few years. We will make another announcement when funeral arrangements have been arranged.”

Hope had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and manic depression at the age of 17, and sadly may have been having an episode when she died.

Hope's website is https://hopeyoungblood.org/. Her Instagram and LinkedIn profiles are https://www.instagram.com/hope_youngblood_heck/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-youngblood-14a354194/.

https://www.pghlesbian.com/2025/06/trans-woman-hope-youngblood-49-killed-on-los-angeles-highway/

https://www.hollywoodlanews.com/hope-youngblood-dead/

https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/146354/details

https://vimeo.com/310472124

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKcVLknRprf/

Report added: 24 Oct 2025. Last updated: 12 Nov 2025

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