CBS2 Exclusive: Community At Odds Over Homeowner's Graphic Halloween Display
WARETOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- There's outrage over a Halloween display in front of one home in Ocean County, New Jersey. Some people say it goes too far.
As CBS2's Meg Baker reports, the homeowners are defending their decorations from angry neighbors.
Imagine trick or treating through the neighborhood and coming up on a fake crime scene, with a body pinned against a tree by a white car with blood dropping down it.
"I think it's awesome, I really do," Waretown Resident Donna said. "I don't know what the problem is, it's Halloween fun."
Police in Ocean Township say they were inundated with calls complaining the display on Mizzen Way in Waretown is inappropriate.
Most people who spoke with CBS2 say they have no problem with the gruesome display, but others say it's just too realistic.
"I think it's too much," resident Renee Reeves said. "We have a lot of young kids here, families. Too much."
Adding that the display is in poor taste, others say it looks like a drunk driving accident.
"His brother was 17," one driver said, pointing to his passenger. "1995, we buried him. Yeah. So we know what it's like."
Homeowner Kevin Negrotto did not want to go on camera because he and his wife have been receiving nasty messages about what they consider a creative Halloween display for trick or treaters.
"I think it's great," Waretown resident Kelly Finan said. "I love it, I think it's fun. I don't understand people who had issues with it. To each his own."
"People are being over-sensitive about it," Waretown resident Justin Sarnowski said. "It's Halloween."
After police stopped by, the Negrottos wrote up a fake news story about Bob the zombie being zombified by contaminated drinking water by a power plant, and added another body on the ground named Zombie Cindy.
Negrotto says they did not mean to offend anyone.
Meanwhile, local police tell CBS2 they can't issue a ticket for decorations -- the Negrettos are free to decorate however they'd like.
