A Baltimore mother has described how her terrified children were chased down the street by a man living in a sewer near their home, after repeatedly hearing a mysterious voice calling out to them from beneath the ground.
asserted
voice → describe → ground
Unique Wiggins said her family's ordeal began when her children reported being confronted by a stranger apparently living underground in a residential neighborhood in Baltimore County.
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children → say → County
At first, she dismissed their claims, struggling to believe that somebody could actually be living inside the sewer system.
But after her children complained about the encounters on at least four occasions, Wiggins decided to investigate for herself - and made a startling discovery.
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Wiggins → dismiss → discovery
She said the situation has left her family frightened for their safety despite police becoming involved and the man being arrested earlier this month.
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man → say → safety
Wiggins recalled how her 21-year-old daughter first alerted her to the stranger's presence during a frantic telephone call.
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daughter → recall → call
'It was a Friday, and my daughter, who is 21, called and she was panicking,' Wiggins explained to WJZ.
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Wiggins → call → WJZ
'And I asked, "What's wrong?"
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What → ask → ?
And she said, "Mom, I'm scared.
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I → say → ?
The man told me I can't walk right here and to just dip."
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I → tell → me
Baltimore mother Unique Wiggins says her children have been left terrified after being harassed and allegedly chased by a man living in a nearby sewer
The man is pictured standing by the roadside in the Baltimore County neighborhood at the center of the dispute
A concrete drainage tunnel surrounded by trees and rocks is part of the sewer system where the stranger made his home
The bizarre explanation initially left Wiggins unconvinced, but as more of her children began describing similar encounters, she realized something was seriously wrong.
uncertain
something → say → encounters
Eventually, the mother decided she needed to confront whoever was apparently lurking beneath the streets herself.
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whoever → decide → streets
What happened next confirmed that her children had not been imagining things.
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children → happen → things
'I walk over to the little manhole sewer thing, and I hear somebody singing, and I think, "This is unbelievable,"' Wiggins recalled.
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Wiggins → walk → thing
And I said, "Leave my f****** kids alone."
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I → say → kids
'And he said, "No, tell them to leave me alone?"
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he → say → me
And I said, "They can't possibly be messing with you, and you are in the sewer."
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you → say → sewer
'
The confrontation did little to reassure the mother who said the stranger had not merely been speaking to her children from underground.
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stranger → do → children
The wooded drainage area sits close to buildings in the neighborhood where Wiggins says her children were repeatedly confronted
A police officer is pictured speaking to the man beside the drainage tunnels following complaints about him living underground
She alleged that he had also chased them down the street.
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he → sit → street
Wiggins contacted Baltimore County Police hoping officers could intervene and stop the encounters.
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officers → contact → encounters
She claimed authorities told her that the sewer lines and culverts were public property, restricting what action they could take.
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they → claim → action
The explanation has left the mother questioning why her family should have to tolerate the man's presence near their home.
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family → leave → home
'I don't feel like I'm protected.
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I → feel → ?
I don't feel like my kids are protected,' Wiggins said.
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Wiggins → feel → ?
'I'm not saying this gentleman should necessarily go to jail, but he should not live in the sewer.
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he → say → sewer
He should not be able to be down there,' she told CBS News.
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she → tell → News
Police confirmed that the man was arrested on October 13 before being released on his own recognizance.
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man → confirm → recognizance
Officers also confirmed that another peace order was served last Thursday, with that order due to expire today.
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order → confirm → ?
Authorities have not said what charges, if any, were filed in connection with the arrest.
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charges → say → arrest
Wiggins said her 21-year-old daughter called her in a panic after the stranger ordered her to leave the area
A debris-strewn drainage outlet reveals the underground environment where the man was living, alarming nearby residents
The roadside figure is pictured again as police confirmed a man was arrested on October 13 before being released on his own recognizance
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man → say → recognizance
A Baltimore County court issued a temporary peace order on October 14, prohibiting the respondent from contacting Wiggins or approaching her home
Despite the police involvement, Wiggins remains deeply dissatisfied with the response and believes relatively straightforward measures could help prevent further encounters.
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measures → issue → encounters
She wants county officials to restrict access to the underground area and make clear that people should not be occupying the sewer system.
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occupying → want → system
'They can put a no trespassing sign there.
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They → put → sign
They can put a no trespassing sign, and they can cover the holes,' she said.
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she → put → holes
'That's what I would like to see.
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I → like → what
I would like Baltimore County to make me feel like I am a member of this community.
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I → like → community
Police said they had attempted to offer services to help the man, but their efforts had been unsuccessful.
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efforts → say → man
It's not known how long he might have been living in the underground space.
uncertain
he → know → space
Baltimore County Government emphasized the importance of protecting residents while also recognizing the needs of those who are homeless.
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who → emphasize → those
'Every person deserves to be safe and treated with dignity, including people experiencing homelessness and behavioral health challenges,' the county said in a statement.
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county → deserve → statement
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