LIMA– Several vehicles at a country home in Lima had their tires slashed and their hoods graffitied early Sunday morning, possibly as a fierce message in a continuing custody battle over a four-year-old child.
A Lima couple awoke Sunday to find their two trucks, one car and two lawn mowers with flat tires. The trucks and car also had the words “I win” spraypainted on their hoods or sides in bright white paint.
“We have a pretty good idea who did it,” said the couple. “This is a long-standing custody issue, and this person has a history of mental disorders, violence, destruction of property and genuine physical assault.”
Incidents like this underscore the brutality of custody wars and the psychological tolls they take on those involved, according to Sheri Kreher, a social worker who specializes in divorce issues. Aggregated psychological stress over years of relationship damage can drive angry people to vandalism, physical violence, and custody manipulation.
“When an intimate relationship is broken, it’s almost the worst psychological trauma you can receive,” said Kreher. “Our need for love is so primal, losing that can tap into your fight-or-flight responses, as if a saber-toothed tiger was coming to attack you.”
“It’s the saddest thing when this happens,” Kreher added, “because we all want the same things: love, connection, respect. People just need to exercise good judgment and self control.”
NOTE: Due to the nature of the incident and the involvement of children, the GeneseeSun.com is not releasing the names of those involved.