Photo: Howard County Sheriff’s Office
CONTENT WARNING: This article quotes a letter containing racially offensive language.
An Indiana woman was arrested after allegedly leaving a racist note to her new neighbors about their 15-year-old biracial child under their front door.
Deborah Cantwell, 63, was taken into police custody on Oct. 25 and charged with criminal mischief and misdemeanor intimidation, a spokesperson for the Howard County Sheriffs Department confirms to PEOPLE.
“YOUR N—– KID IS NOT WELCOME,” the note continued. “Some people find N—— stressful due [to] 33 years of NEGATIVE experience (sic) and it causes serious health issues. ANXIETY AND STRESS causes my health issues to worsen — I am under strict order to remain stress free — cannot be stress free if I have to look at the n—– kid day in and day out…”
Pundt and her family had yet to move into the residence, she wrote in her GoFundMe post, but had been there on Oct. 12 to begin the moving process. In addition to her biracial son, she’s also a mother to four other kids — all of whom were staying together at a rental property when the vandalism took place and the note was left.
Her husband had only discovered it when he returned to the home to make sure the furnace was turned back on, she said.He then immediately contacted police, theKokomo Tribunereported.
“I mean, the blacks get away with it every time,” she allegedly told police, theKokomo Tribunereported. “I was just trying to let them know that they weren’t really … welcome as far as us. … I just needed to let off some steam and it was the — I’m not a violent person so I didn’t think it was any big deal.”
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Asked how she would feel if she’d received the letter, she said, “I’d want to get out of the neighborhood,” theKokomo Tribunereported.
Meanwhile, Cantwell has been prohibited from contacting Pundt and her family, the sheriff’s department spokesperson confirms to PEOPLE.
None of that seems to comfort Pundt, who lamented on her GoFundMe page about how the incident has impacted her son.
“Pray for him and our family,” she continued. “And please help educate others. This can happen anywhere. This is real. This is happening still. This hatred effects everyone involved.”
source: people.com
