A possible hate crime is being investigated by the New Jersey Middlesex County prosecutor involving a grandmother whose only mode of transportation was vandalized Monday morning.
All four tires of Marcella Seachrist‘s vehicle were slashed and “N-word Lover’ was spray-painted in yellow on the passenger side of her Jeep. Graffiti covered much of the rest of the vehicle. Seachrist, who is White, believes she was targeted because her grandchildren are biracial, according to CBS News.
Her vehicle was the only one targeted at her apartment complex where she has resided for the past seven months. The 62-year-old Old Bridge resident has two biracial grandchildren living with her. Until now, she has never experienced any problems. “We’re all supposed to live among each other, and try to be as friendly as we can, you know? And nothing like that should be written anywhere, you know? And it’s really very offensive. I have grandchildren that are half black, you know. It doesn’t give you a good feeling,” she said.
Unfortunately, the apartment complex where Seachrist lives does not have surveillance cameras in the area where the vandalism took place and she does not have a clue as to who could have done such a thing.
On Tuesday, Seachrist managed to remove the racial slur and most of the paint from her vehicle. There are, however, yellow remnants and four flat tires, painful reminders of a world that is not as tolerant as Seachrist thought. “It takes a toll on you after a while, it really does,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Old Bridge Police Department told CBS News that they are actively looking for those responsible for the vandalism.
