US woman arrested for leaving racist note on neighbour's door

Deborah Cantwell was arrested for leaving a racist letter on her new neighbor's door, directed at their son. Photo / Howard County Sheriff's Office

An Indiana woman is accused of writing a racist note targeting a black child who was moving into a new neighbourhood with his family, using a racial slur and telling them, "THIS IS A WHITE NEIGHBOURHOOD."

Authorities said 63-year-old Deborah Cantwell, who is white, penned the letter and placed it on the new neighbours' front door this month near Greentown, Indiana. It warned the parents that one of their children, who authorities said is black, was "not welcome" in the community, according to court documents. It's unclear whether his parents are also black; police declined to comment further.

A photo posted on GoFundMe, which appears to show the letter, revealed that a racial slur was used to describe the child.

"We moved here to a WHITE TOWN, ALL WHITE NEIGHBOURHOOD - FOR HEALTH REASONS AMONG OTHER THINGS. THIS IS OUR FOREVER HOME, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MOVE - BESIDES THIS IS MY DREAM HOME AND WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME," it read. It added that the family "SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED THE NEIGHBORS" before bringing the child into the area.

The letter continued, stating that "just the sight of the child reminds me of all the things I live in this town to forget."

Warning: Distressing content in letter.

A photo posted on GoFundMe, which appears to show the letter, revealed that a racial slur was used to describe the child. Photo / GoFundMe

Authorities have not confirmed whether the photo shows the letter, but the text matches quotes found in the court records.

Cantwell was arrested late last week on charges of intimidation and criminal mischief. She has since been released on bond.

Officials with the Howard County Sheriff's Department said in a statement that deputies responded to the family's new home Oct. 13 about a letter that was found on the front door leading up to their move-in date. "The letter contained erroneous information concerning the property and also made derogatory racial comments towards a juvenile family member," according to the statement.

Court records show that a family member told authorities that his family had not yet moved into the house but that he had stopped by the home about midnight and discovered that the trees had been toilet-papered.

The "lengthy note" was attached to the door.

In her letter, Cantwell said she has had "negative" experiences with black people, and seeing the child would cause stress.

She urged them not to move into the house.

Cantwell wrote in the letter that "YOU CAN SELL YOUR HOUSE AND MAKE MONEY ON IT RIGHT NOW," and added, "BY THE WAY HOPE YOU HAVE DEEP POCKETS," according to the court records.

Authorities suspected Cantwell after the home's seller said Cantwell did not want the new family to buy the home, the records said.

When investigators questioned Cantwell on Oct. 18, she admitted that she had written the letter because she was angry, suggesting that, throughout the years, black people held her father at gunpoint, stabbed an uncle and beat her sister. Cantwell told police that she delivered the note and toilet-papered the house out of "rage" and that "I was trying to vent," according to court documents.

When asked whether she regretted her actions, Cantwell told police, "yes and no."

"I am sorry that it caused so much ruckus, but I feel like I released some anger writing that letter," she said, according to the court documents. She added that had she received such a letter, "I'd want to get out of the neighbourhood."

It's unclear whether Cantwell has an attorney. She is due in court Nov. 19.