Residents of the Cypress Hill neighborhood near Highland Park are demanding that more be done to ensure public safety for the park’s residents.

The group held a rally to commemorate the life of 43-year-old Marie Lydia Ramos, who was found dead in the park on July 5.

Her death is now the subject of a murder investigation, according to police; those attending the rally said she was struck from behind by an attacker.

Although no arrests were made in this case, local residents believe this was not an isolated incident.

“It was still light, a man I had never seen before came running up to me from behind. I had to confront him. He was wearing surgical gloves and a hood. It was very disturbing. I have never had an experience like this where I felt so unsafe and attacked as a single woman,” said Emily Walker, a resident of Highland Park.

Walker tells News 12 that she tried to report the incident to the park and police, but was told that she could not report the incident because the man did not attack her, which left her frustrated.

Rally organizer Tami Green says she wants to increase police presence and better inform the public about the incidents in the park. For a month, police did not inform people in the area that the crime was a murder.

“We heard it was an overdose, and all the time women, mothers and elderly people were walking in this park,” she said. “When I found out what happened here, it was a re-traumatization. I just started to feel safe going to the park again, and I think there should be more here, from cameras to park patrols to police to protect this place,” she said.

Walker believes the cause of the lack of patrols and security infrastructure is the parks’ budget cuts.

“This fiscal year, we lost 80% of the workforce in our conservation areas and did not hire the 250 additional park employees our stakeholders had requested,” Walker said, adding, “More eyes in the park means a safer park. I firmly believe that.”