The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:50 PM
Source: WVLT
Sevierville Family Finds Disturbing Display At Vacation Home They've Been Visiting At For 25 Years
"My brother, yesterday, just graduated from Carson Newman," vacationer Joyell Hill said.
Now they're questioning if they ever want to come back because they saw a controversial display.
"It was very disappointing," Hill said. "It was scary. We were very disappointed, and the fact that we come here so often. We spend our money here. We bring out family here. We bring out friends here, and to have that experience was just very disappointing."
Hill said a black trash bag appears to be formed in the shape of a human, hanging from a tree. She said it's disturbing.
"We have never seen this, ever," Hill said. "We've never had this experience in the whole 25 years we've been coming here. We never had this experience. "
Hill said her family called the police to file a report.
"They actually said that it was a Halloween decoration from two years ago that somehow missed the taking down process," Hill said. "Someone had called and complained that someone hung themselves, but the police went and the lady wasn't home."
WVLT reached out to the people who own this controversial display. They didn't answer. Neighbors said they drive past it all the time.
"Never thought much about it," neighbor John Booth said. "Thought it was rather funny. It was hung there back last Halloween — I guess, as a Halloween prank — and I guess the people who live there did it. It's been hanging there all year."
While Booth may find it funny, the Hill family said it's offensive.
"You shouldn't see that and when you experience that, it's not a good feeling," Hill said.
The family said it makes them uncomfortable, and they may rethink their vacation spot.
"Why, especially, do we keep spending our money and bringing our loved ones and people we care about here if that's going to be the experience and the message we get from coming here," Hill said.
The Sevier County Sheriff's office said the display was a gross misunderstanding. Deputies said its owners offered to apologize to the Hill family for offending them, saying they didn't mean any harm. WVLT called the Hill family to see if they've received an apology, who said they have not yet gotten one.
