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Woman puts real-life horrors of policing and carjacking on display for Halloween Woman puts real-life horrors of policing and carjacking on display for Halloween
(about 3 hours later)
On a quiet street in north-west Detroit, it’s become common in recent weeks for onlookers to stop and gawk at Larethia Haddon’s home. For nearly a quarter century, the Detroit native has decorated her front yard for Halloween with a facedown dummy – a ghoulish tradition that drew national attention last year.On a quiet street in north-west Detroit, it’s become common in recent weeks for onlookers to stop and gawk at Larethia Haddon’s home. For nearly a quarter century, the Detroit native has decorated her front yard for Halloween with a facedown dummy – a ghoulish tradition that drew national attention last year.
But as the holiday approached in 2016, Haddon was compelled to shed a typical Halloween display for something farmore striking: a scene that portrays victims of police violence, carjackings and lead poisoning in the city of Flint, where Haddon’s family members have dealt with a widespread water crisis for over two years. But as the holiday approached in 2016, Haddon was compelled to shed a typical Halloween display for something far more striking: a scene that portrays victims of police violence, carjackings and lead poisoning in the city of Flint, where Haddon’s family members have dealt with a widespread water crisis for over two years.
The inspiration, she said, came from her 10 grandchildren.The inspiration, she said, came from her 10 grandchildren.
“They said: we’re not afraid of the boogeyman anymore,” Haddon, 56, told the Guardian, “we’re afraid of these things that are going on.’” “They said: we’re not afraid of the boogeyman anymore,” Haddon, 56, told the Guardian. “We’re afraid of these things that are going on.’”
On a brisk fall afternoon, Haddon circles around the yard to give a tour of the display and the dummies, bestowing them with boilerplate nicknames. There’s the “Predator”, a testament to her youngest grandchild’s fear of going outside to play. Nearby, a sign placed against a face-down body reads: “Stop killing our children.” Another simply says: “Carjacking.” On a brisk fall afternoon, Haddon circled around the yard to give a tour of the display and the dummies, bestowing them with boilerplate nicknames. There’s the “Predator”, a testament to her youngest grandchild’s fear of going outside to play. Nearby, a sign placed against a face-down body reads: “Stop killing our children.” Another simply says: “Carjacking.”
“Carjacking is one of the biggest crimes in Detroit,” Haddon said. “Senseless, I mean, my god it’s so senseless.” “Carjacking is one of the biggest crimes in Detroit,” Haddon said. “Senseless. I mean, my God, it’s so senseless.”
Across the yard, an older, bearded male figure with snow white hair is dressed like a disheveled scientist. He stares out to the street, a glass of discolored water in hand, and holds a sign that says: “Flint water nobody deserves this.” Across the yard, an older, bearded male figure with snow white hair was dressed like a disheveled scientist. He stared out to the street, a glass of discolored water in hand, and held a sign that said “Flint water nobody deserves this”.
Haddon said her grandchildren tell her they’re afraid to drink tap water at their Detroit home because “we live so close to Flint”. Haddon said her grandchildren have told her they are afraid to drink tap water at their Detroit home because “we live so close to Flint”.
“It’s just like the sign says: no one deserves to have to ever live that way,” she said.“It’s just like the sign says: no one deserves to have to ever live that way,” she said.
At her doorstep, a blood-stained dummy wears black gloves and a camo jacket with a hood covering his head – a nod to the spate of police shootings that have sparked protests across the US. His sign: “My hands were up.” At her doorstep, a blood-stained dummy wore black gloves and a camo jacket with a hood covering his head – a nod to the spate of police shootings that have sparked protests across the US. His sign: “My hands were up.”
The project has caught the attention of neighbors and passersby. On Friday, a car drove by and stopped to observe the scene; later, a woman carrying a cup of coffee stopped on a walk with her dog, spending a moment in front of each fixture.The project has caught the attention of neighbors and passersby. On Friday, a car drove by and stopped to observe the scene; later, a woman carrying a cup of coffee stopped on a walk with her dog, spending a moment in front of each fixture.
“All these things in my yard are reality,” Haddon said. “I’m not trying to offend anyone. I’m trying to make people more aware of the thing that’s going on.”“All these things in my yard are reality,” Haddon said. “I’m not trying to offend anyone. I’m trying to make people more aware of the thing that’s going on.”
Last year, Haddon’s display drew several 911 calls for reasons she can’t explain. “I don’t know why, it didn’t have blood on it or anything, but it really got noticed.” Last year, Haddon’s display drew several 911 calls for reasons she couldn’t explain. “I don’t know why, it didn’t have blood on it or anything, but it really got noticed.”
But the response has only been positive this year, she said. Every morning, around 9am, Haddon said she pulls out the display. She keeps it up until about 8pm “so no one one will steal it”. But the response had only been positive this year, she said. Every morning, around 9am, Haddon said, she pulls out the display. She keeps it up until about 8pm “so no one one will steal it”.
“They will steal it,” she said. The effort can be taxing for the retired grandmother, long-ailed by rheumatoid arthritis. “They will steal it,” she said. The effort can be taxing for the retired grandmother, who has long had rheumatoid arthritis.
“I’ve lost a couple pounds doing it, but it’s OK,” she said with a gentle laugh.“I’ve lost a couple pounds doing it, but it’s OK,” she said with a gentle laugh.
And her neighbors “are so fine with it”, she said. “They look forward to me coming out with what I’m going to do.”And her neighbors “are so fine with it”, she said. “They look forward to me coming out with what I’m going to do.”
The project has touched numerous people, she said, and estimated that hundreds of people have visited her yard in recent weeks. The project has touched numerous people, she said, and estimated that hundreds of people had visited her yard in recent weeks.
“Yeah, it’s sinking in; it hits home,” she said. “That’s how it’s affecting people, they’re coming by and saying thank you, hugging me, just doing whatever they can do to say, thank you for doing this. And I didn’t really expect that.” “Yeah, it’s sinking in; it hits home,” she said. “That’s how it’s affecting people, they’re coming by and saying thank you, hugging me, just doing whatever they can do to say, ‘Thank you for doing this.’ And I didn’t really expect that.”
Growing up in a city with a history of crime, the display also has a personal impact. In 2015, Detroit had nearly 300 murders, a figure that places it near the top of the most violent cities in the US. For someone who grew up in a city with a history of crime, the display also has a personal impact. In 2015, Detroit had nearly 300 murders, a figure that places it near the top of the most violent cities in the US.
“I’ve lost relatives to shooting, I’ve lost a child of my own – not at the hands of gunfire or anything, but malpractice,” Haddon said. “And dead is dead. You lost your child. I know a couple people who’ve been carjacked. So, it hits home. I’ve been living a lot of years, I’ve seen a lot of things, I have family who lives in Flint, so all this means a lot to me.”“I’ve lost relatives to shooting, I’ve lost a child of my own – not at the hands of gunfire or anything, but malpractice,” Haddon said. “And dead is dead. You lost your child. I know a couple people who’ve been carjacked. So, it hits home. I’ve been living a lot of years, I’ve seen a lot of things, I have family who lives in Flint, so all this means a lot to me.”
Every Wednesday this month, members from her church gather at the end of service outside the home, encircle the display, and they pray “for the city of Detroit”, she said. Every Wednesday this month, members of her church gather at the end of services outside the home, encircle the display, and pray “for the city of Detroit”, she said.
But come 1 November, the display will be dismantled, she said. Until then, Haddon hopes her message reverberates across the US.But come 1 November, the display will be dismantled, she said. Until then, Haddon hopes her message reverberates across the US.
“This is my way of speaking out,” Haddon said. “And I just want people to get this message that we’ve got to come together, you know? When you see something going on don’t just turn your eyes away from it like you don’t see it.” “This is my way of speaking out,” Haddon said. “And I just want people to get this message that we’ve got to come together, you know? When you see something going on, don’t just turn your eyes away from it like you don’t see it.”