Former college athlete, 36, now threatens children on San Francisco streets

A former college athlete, once raised in a $1.1 million home by a supercomputer genius father, now lives on the streets of San Francisco, spending her days threatening to abduct and harm children.

Kim Ann Andrews, 36, was raised in Pennsylvania and Southern California by her father, Dr. Philip Andrews, a respected computer scientist and technology leader who passed away in 2016.

During her teenage years, she was an accomplished high school track and field competitor at Torrey Pines High School near San Diego. Her former coach remembers her as a ‘conscientious and friendly’ team player—a stark contrast to her current situation.

Andrews pursued track for two years at the University of California San Diego, remaining enrolled for nearly a decade without completing her degree in biochemistry and cell biology before dropping out in March 2015.

Today, Andrews is notorious in the Laurel Village, Inner Richmond District, Cole Valley, and Inner Sunset neighborhoods of San Francisco. Over the past four years, residents have reported numerous terrifying encounters with her.

Andrews became an accomplished high school track and field competitor at Torrey Pines High School near San Diego.

Kim Ann Andrews, 36, has become notorious in San Francisco for her aggressive behavior.

Andrews has faced criminal charges ranging from battery and robbery to shoplifting and issuing criminal threats. Despite these charges, residents say nothing has been done to stop her aggressive behavior, as she continues to cycle through jails and courts before returning to the streets.

Community members have banded together, encouraging others to call 911 to report any harassment related to her. Some have filed police reports and posted on social media, detailing their harrowing experiences in which Andrews allegedly harassed preschoolers or threatened to slit children’s throats at playgrounds.

She grew up in a $1.1 million home outside of San Diego with her father, who was well-known for his work with supercomputers.

Inner Richmond resident Kenna Palefsky has been aggregating police reports since 2020, after Andrews allegedly crouched down and shouted at her son while he was in a stroller.

Yelena Dunduchenko, a nanny, also recounted a 2020 incident where Andrews screamed, “I am going to take your child, I am going to kill you.” “It was really scary,” she said.

Megan Grasser, another resident, said Andrews’ behavior led her to leave San Francisco. She first encountered Andrews when she was nine months pregnant in late 2020 and later three months later when Andrews chased her and her dog, made vile comments, and formed her hand into the shape of a gun, placing it to Grasser’s head, saying, “I was sent here to kill you.”

Andrews’ father, Philip Andrews, was instrumental in bringing several high-end national computing systems to the San Diego Supercomputer Center.

Residents in the Cole Valley and Inner Sunset neighborhoods noticed an uptick in encounters with Andrews earlier this year. Some have taken to Reddit to share their troubling experiences.

In January, Andrews was arrested on suspicion of battery and trespassing at a secondhand clothing store on Irving Street, and store owners later obtained a restraining order against her. In another incident in July, she allegedly threatened a mother walking with her toddler in Golden Gate Park, holding a lighter to a can of Lysol and developing a “fixation” on the child, followed by threats to kill the mother.

Posters around the city warn residents of Andrews’ behavior and urge anyone who sees her to contact local authorities.

Although taken into custody by park rangers, prosecutors declined to press charges immediately, citing the need for more evidence for appropriate charging decisions. She was later released. Authorities have now issued a warrant for her arrest.

Despite these measures, residents are frustrated. Palefsky lamented, “She has been given unlimited second chances,” noting that Andrews continues to be released back on the streets.

A San Francisco Department of Public Health clinician advised a concerned resident to contact the police if threatened, revealing that health officials were aware of Andrews’ behavior and attempting to locate and connect her with services.

The challenge lies in California law, which only permits authorities to force treatment if an individual poses an immediate danger or is gravely disabled. San Francisco Police Department public safety liaison David Burke explained that although there have been multiple attempts to get Andrews into housing or a mental health assessment, she hasn’t been cooperative.

City officials hope that new measures included in Proposition 1 will create more opportunities for Andrews to receive the help she needs, under a state program aimed at expanding facilities for those struggling with mental health or drug use. Additionally, a new law will broaden involuntary commitment for people with severe mental illness.

A San Francisco Department of Public Health clinician working with the city’s Healthy Streets Operations Center told a concerned resident that health officials were aware of Andrews’ “distressing” behavior.

In July, a task force began dismantling tents and temporary shelters with a multibillion-dollar program targeting homelessness and mental health. San Francisco now has around 8,300 people sleeping on the streets, fueling political debate on the state’s growing homelessness issue.

Mayor London Breed has expressed that the Supreme Court has given her the authority to address the homelessness problem, declaring that it won’t be solved by merely building more housing.

“Thank goodness for the Supreme Court decision,” she added.

Source: Daily Mail