The Neighbors Accused Me of Child Abuse, But I Live Alone

Midnight. My phone was vibrating off the hook. Brenda from 1107 had tagged me eighteen times in the residents' group chat.

To the young lady in 1207, the holidays are coming up. Try to find some decency!

The way you beat that child every day the noise is going to give me a heart attack!

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and typed back.

I live alone. You must be mistaken.

Suddenly, Doris, the owner of 1307, jumped in.

Honey, when youre wrong, just admit it. Being stubborn wont get you anywhere.

Im a stickler for details. When I heard the child screaming, I went door to door, listening. It was definitely coming from your apartment.

1.

Brenda was still tagging me.

Stop hitting him! Youre going to kill him!

The poor thing has cried his voice hoarse. It breaks my heart to listen to it!

What did he do, commit a mortal sin? Why are you beating him to death?

It was a warm early summer night, but a sudden chill ran down my spine.

After buying the apartment, Id installed blackout curtains to help me sleep. At eleven, the world had been silent. Now, the pitch-black room felt like a place where a monster could materialize and press its face against mine at any moment.

The hair on my arms stood on end. I scrambled out of bed, flicking on every light in every room. Only after checking every corner that could possibly hide a person did the fear begin to recede.

I looked back at the group chat. 99+ new messages.

The neighbors were all chiming in.

LOL, 1207 went silent after getting called out.

Hasnt 1207 only been here a little while? I remember her, a real pretty girl. Didnt expect her to be a mom already, and with such a bad temper.

You can choose your friends, but you cant choose your neighbors. You make enemies now, but youll come crawling for help one day, and no one will be there for you.

One resident, hiding behind the anonymity of not listing their apartment number, made a crude joke.

What kind of screaming are we talking about? A real kid crying, or one of those adult women who puts on a baby voice?

Haha, you read my mind. Maybe our pretty neighbor is just playing a certain kind of game.

The old ladies just cant keep up with the times. They dont know about those games, so they misunderstood, hehe.

I gritted my teeth and typed a reply.

Brenda, I live alone. I was almost asleep when you started tagging me.

If you dont believe me, youre welcome to come up and see for yourself.

I then addressed the upstairs neighbor.

Doris, you said you were listening at doors. Are you sure you didn't get the apartment number wrong?

After a brief silence, a reply came from Doriss account.

This is Doriss husband. Shes gone to bed. Ill have her message you tomorrow.

Just then, Brenda tagged me again.

Honey, you said you were almost asleep, but I can see your lights are all on. Do you sleep with the lights on?

That set the neighbors off again.

Its true, I just stuck my head out the window. Even the living room light is on.

Wow, our neighbor is really something. Sleeping with all the lights on. Must be nice to be rich!

I just went and listened at 1207s door. Its quiet for now, but theres a broken action figure on her doormat. One of the arms is snapped off.

Yikes. You think the kid broke his toy by accident, and she beat him half to death for it?

What a terrifying mother. Maybe shes bipolar?

Whoa, thats creepy when you think about it. She even invited Brenda to her apartment. What if she was planning to lock the door and come at her with a knife? These days, the crazies get away with murder.

I was completely speechless. I wanted to just leave the group and be done with it. But for the sake of neighborly harmony, I had to explain, point by point.

I only turned the lights on after I saw the messages in the group.

As for the toy, some kid probably broke it and just left it at my door.

I started a video recording on my phone, doing a continuous shot of every room, and sent it to the group.

Just me. No child.

Still, some were unconvinced.

What does that prove? The kid is probably hiding in a closet or under the bed.

The people upstairs and downstairs both say its you, and you still wont admit it?

Am I the only one who thinks something is off here? Maybe 1207 has some bad juju attached to her?

You mean, like a ghost?

OMG! Peace, prosperity, and all that jazz.

Alright, alright, its late. This is getting out of hand!

Brenda stepped in to play peacemaker.

Honey, children need patience. You cant solve everything by hitting them.

Its late, so I wont come over. Just stop and go to sleep.

Staring at the now-quiet group chat, I was at a loss for words. It felt like Id been caught in a storm that had nothing to do with me.

It was nearly one in the morning, and I had a business meeting the next day. I had to get some sleep.

I never expected that the next evening at nine, Brenda would start tagging me again, this time spamming the chat with a dozen 60-second voice messages.

2.

Honey, it was wrong of me to call you out in the group yesterday instead of messaging you privately. Its all my fault, and I apologize.

Her words were slurred, and she sounded like she was crying.

Im an old woman. If I drop dead, I deserve it. But my little grandson is only five years old! When he cant sleep, my life is a living hell!

Please, Im begging you, have a heart! Stop beating your child and smashing things every night!

Then, Brendas son, Rick, started spewing filth in the chat.

1207, you bitch! You dare hit my mother?

He posted a photo of Brenda. There was a clear handprint on her face, swollen to half an inch high.

Everyone look at this! The psycho in 1207 doesnt just abuse her own kid, she hit my mom too!

My mom was just walking my son downstairs, and this woman came out of nowhere and slapped her!

She even threatened my son! Said if he ever dared to squeak in the group chat again, shed make sure our family never gets another full nights sleep!

The group chat erupted in righteous fury.

Is this woman even human? She disturbs her neighbors, and instead of apologizing, she slaps them?

Who does she think she is, acting so high and mighty?

Threatening a child is unforgivable! Get out here and apologize! @12-7 Ms. Grace.

BANG, BANG, BANG.

Someone was pounding on my door with incredible force.

It was Rick, Brendas son. His face was a mask of rage, and he was holding a meat cleaver.

Get out here and apologize, you bitch!

The cleaver struck my door, making a sharp metallic clang.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I scrambled to call property management and the police. I dragged the door jammer into place before I dared to speak.

Please, calm down and listen to me. I didnt hit your mother. I dont even know what she looks like. There must be a misunderstanding.

Silence for two seconds, then the pounding started again, even more violent than before.

You fucking bitch, you hit my mom and you wont even admit it! Get the hell out here!

Seeing that Rick was beyond reason, I had no choice but to find my lease agreement and post a picture of it in the chat, showing I was the sole occupant.

I am single, I have no children, and I have never laid a hand on any neighbor. This is all a huge misunderstanding!

If I really had a child, wouldnt one of you in this building have seen them? Has anyone, any single one of you, ever seen me with a child?

The residents, who had been waiting for me to respond, flooded the chat with dozens of messages.

Who knows if that document is real or photoshopped.

Besides, there are plenty of young women these days who mess around and have a baby they keep secret. If they have it at home and dont register it, whos to know?

Ive never seen her with a kid, thats true. But I know one thing: criminals always hide their crimes. You probably just make sure to sneak the kid in and out when none of us are around.

Then, Doris from upstairs posted a video.

Have a look, everyone. I recorded this at 1207s door. This old lady doesnt lie!

The video was shaky and a little blurry, as if filmed on a handheld phone.

The camera started at the elevator and moved down the hall to a door. As it got closer, a faint crying sound became clearer. When the phone was pressed against the door, the sound exploded, filling the speakers with the piercing screams of a small child.

The world spun around me. How was that possible?

It was undeniably my apartment. The number was clear, as was the fingerprint lock and the anime character sticker Id put on it myself.

The group chat went into a frenzy.

Haha, you asked for proof, you got proof.

OMG OMG OMG the drama!

Everyone be quiet, I want to hear 1207s excuse for this one.

@12-7 Ms. Grace, is that your apartment?

I braced myself and typed.

Yes, thats my apartment.

Just as I was about to explain further, a telemarketer called. I rejected the call, only to see that my unfinished message had sent. I quickly deleted it, but the vultures watching the chat had already seen it.

Rick clearly saw it too. He became even more agitated.

What do you have to say for yourself now?

I might not have much, Rick, but Ive got brute strength! I swear Im going to drag you out of there and beat you to death today!

He started ramming his shoulder into the door. The small chandelier above me swayed with the vibrations.

Get out here, you bitch!

Forgetting about the group chat, I checked the door jammer with trembling hands, terrified he would actually break the door down. Just as I was about to call property management again, I heard voices outside.

Sir, please calm down! Dont do something youll regret.

Give me the cleaver first. We promise we will handle this properly!

Property management was here!

I let out a breath I didnt realize Id been holding. My back was soaked in cold sweat.

Once I was sure they had the cleaver from Rick, I opened the door.

Three property managers were holding Rick back, though he was still cursing at me. I was about to explain when two police officers stepped out of the elevator, their sharp eyes fixed on me.

Are you Ms. Grace, the resident of 1207?

We received a report that you are a suspect in a child trafficking and abuse case. Please come with us to cooperate with the investigation.

3.

At the police station, I explained everything from the beginning.

I dont have a child, and I certainly did not assault Brenda.

As for trafficking and abuse, thats just ridiculous. You just searched my apartment. Did you find a child, or any evidence that a child has ever been there?

There has to be something wrong with Doriss video.

The officers face was stern.

Our technical team analyzed the video. There are no signs of tampering.

My mind went blank for a second before I forced myself to stay calm.

I cant explain the video right now, but I know I didnt hit Brenda. The security footage will prove it.

The lead investigator walked in.

The building is old. The surveillance systems in the common areas and hallways are severely damaged. We cant retrieve any footage.

However, the time you entered the building is consistent with the time Brenda was assaulted.

The officers looked at me with a mixture of suspicion and scrutiny.

Ms. Grace, we dont wrongfully accuse innocent people, but we dont let criminals go, either.

In the end, due to a lack of concrete evidence, I was released. The police instructed me not to leave the city so they could continue their investigation.

It was three in the morning when I walked out of the station. I wiped my exhausted face and found the nearest hotel to crash in.

When I woke up, my phone was flooded with notifications.

The residents group chat was celebrating the news of my arrest.

Justice is served!

I heard she was taken in on suspicion of trafficking. Human traffickers deserve to die!

They should investigate her for sex work while theyre at it. I heard 1207 paid for her apartment in cash. A woman that young how could she afford over two million dollars unless shes a mistress to someone?

Brenda and Doris were also in the chat.

Slept like a baby last night, a rare treat. My little grandson was so happy.

Brenda, dear, wicked people always get whats coming to them. My heart aches for what youve been through.

When I returned to my building, the elevator doors opened to the sight of my front door splattered with red paint. Piles of stinking garbage lay on the floor, swarming with flies.

My next-door neighbor peeked his head out, a look of disappointment on his face.

Oh, youre out already? Well, hurry up and clean this mess. The whole hallway stinks.

Another neighbor on my floor slammed their door with a resounding crash.

So annoying. Living on the same floor as someone like her is the worst luck.

From start to finish, not a single person was willing to hear my side of the story.

I dug my nails into my palm and ordered a cleaning service online.

Jenna, one of the property managers, sent me a message.

Grace, people are saying your apartment is haunted by a vengeful spirit. And a lot of residents have complained to me about you, calling you a plague on the community and wishing you were dead.

Im worried someone might do something extreme. Have you considered selling or renting out the apartment?

Reading that, a fire ignited within me.

I had just bought this place. I hadn't done anything wrong. Why should I be the one to leave?

Whether it was a vengeful spirit or a person playing games, I was going to find out.

I collected myself and replied to Jenna.

To prove my innocence, I want you to stay at my apartment for the next three nights. Lets see if they still hear a child crying then.

In return, Ill prepay my HOA fees for the next two years.

On one condition: you dont tell a soul about this.

Jenna replied quickly.

You have a deal.

That night, Jenna slipped into my apartment unnoticed.

Dont worry, Grace. No one saw me.

For three consecutive nights, the building was as peaceful as a still lake.

Brenda even praised me in the group chat.

The young lady has finally seen the error of her ways. Its been so quiet lately.

As for the slap, Ill let it go. Young people can be impulsive. I understand.

When Jenna left in the mornings, she would look at me cautiously.

Grace, do you think it could actually be haunted? Like, it only acts up when youre alone.

Maybe you should really think about moving.

I said nothing, but the fire inside me burned hotter.

The next day, everything changed. Brenda was carried to my front door on a stretcher.