KENT, Wash. — A haunted house Halloween display in south King County had to close temporarily after the homeowner said vandals damaged some of their decorations.
"It's just a way to bring people together, to know our neighbors, and to raise awareness for a good cause," said Jordin Baugh, who created the display with her husband, Tom.
The display is in an outdoor setting and was intended for kids to have Halloween fun safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Baughs.
While visiting the haunted house is free, Baugh put up a QR code display to encourage visitors to donate to the Regional Animal Services of King County, which has been in need of food donations, according to the couple.
The Baughs said they closed the display for at least a day when they noticed at least three of their inflatable decorations were deflated from damage. Baugh also said pumpkins intended for a photo backdrop were smashed.
"When you say somebody slashed your decorations it doesn't sound like much, [but] they mean a lot to us," said Baugh.
Baugh said one of the inflatable dragons that was damaged has a connection to her toddler son, who was comforted by it while recovering from brain surgery when he was a baby.
"It's stories that these guys hurt," said Baugh. "It's not a prop, it's a story and it's a memory."
Surveillance footage shown to KING 5 by the family showed a deer near the haunted house display, but no vandals were clearly visible in the video.
Baugh said other incidents were reported on NextDoor and that the neighborhood is starting patrols to prevent other vandalism incidents.
An initial check with the King County Sheriff's Office showed there was at least one vandalism incident reported in the Auburn area, according to KCSO Public Information Officer Tim Meyer. But it is unclear if that was vandalism involving Halloween decorations.