Volunteers clean up Fairfield creek noted for crime

FAIRFIELD, Ohio - The community of Fairfield and beyond worked together to prevent future crime in a Fairfield Creek near Brookfield Drive.

The effort is something Community Services Officer for Fairfield Police Doug Day has worked towards for awhile.

"Twenty years ago when I came on, it was kids hanging out vandalizing, had drug abuse going on, now we have homicides and that's unacceptable," Day said.

Homicides took the lives of two teens this year.

In April, Chelsea Johnson, 15, was found in the creek with stab wounds.

More recently at the end of August, Joseph Oakley, 19, was found in the creek with gunshot wounds.

Police still don't know who's responsible for Johnson and Oakley's deaths.

Around 75 volunteers cleared brush from a half mile of the creek.

"Once this place gets occupied, the people living here would have a view down into the creek so people can't hang out down here without being seen," Day said.

Volunteer Sam Conrad traveled all the way from Erlanger to use his construction skills and make a difference.

"It makes me feel real good, because for a long time, I was on the other end of the shoe, and now I guess that's another reason why I'm trying to help out," Conrad said.  "I've been there done that."

Conrad believes it is important to spread the word that violence is not the answer.

"You miss out on so much, your kids, life, you could have so much better of a life," Conrad said.  "If you try, one day is all you gotta do at one time."

On Monday, city trucks will haul the branches away, turning them into mulch.