WESTLAND, Mich. – A Westland woman said her family has endured months of escalating harassment and public intimidation from her next-door neighbor, with little to no recourse from authorities despite multiple reports and pleas for help.
Tina Villarreal de Hernandez, who lives on Sansburn with her husband, said the situation began earlier this year and has since grown worse. She said she is a victim of racial slurs, threatening behavior. Obscene images are also pointed toward her yard where her grandchildren used to play. Not anymore, she said.
“It’s disgusting. I don’t want my grandkids seeing that,” Villarreal de Hernandez said. “We shouldn’t have to look at these images every day.”
Villarreal de Hernandez said her next-door neighbor has referred to her with racial slurs such as ‘Mexican c*nt,’ has spit on her daughter’s vehicle for parking in front of his house, and installed obscene and offensive imagery in his yard.
Local 4 stopped by her home and one of the signs she described was prominently placed in her next-door neighbor’s yard, facing hers. The sign had a hand-drawn phallic image with the words “SUCKA” written next to it.
“As an educator and mandated reporter, I take the safety of all children seriously and find these statements both defamatory and dangerous,” she said. “He calls me a ‘dirty wh*re c*nt’ while mowing his lawn… I’m scared. His behavior is escalating.”
According to Villarreal de Hernandez, the harassment includes frequent yelling, cursing over minor issues such as barking dogs or children playing, and aggressive behavior like kicking and throwing objects. She said her family has filed multiple complaints with police and the city, but no meaningful action has been taken.
When we asked her why she thinks her neighbor put up the signs, she said the behavior began after her daughter parked in front of his home and after she installed security cameras in her backyard. She said the neighbor has accused her family of aiming the security cameras into his home and into his bedroom — accusations she strongly denies.
Local 4 made several attempts to speak with the next-door neighbor in person, but he did not respond to us while we were outside.
Villarreal de Hernandez said the property has been in her family for decades and that the neighbor initially appeared helpful.
“He helped us with a few things at first,” she said. “But then his behavior just changed — it became erratic, unpredictable.”
Westland police confirmed the situation in a statement, saying both parties have been visited multiple times by Community Police Officers and offered mediation.
“The neighbors reporting the issue state that the problems have worsened and that the neighbor in question has escalated the situation by creating hand-drawn phallic images that are being pointed toward their home,” Westland Police said in a statement. “Upon speaking to the neighbor in question, he stated that he is doing this because the neighbors… have cameras on their home that are pointed in his backyard.”
According to police, legal counsel reviewed the matter and determined the neighbor’s signs are protected under the First Amendment right to free speech.
“Both neighbors were offered neighborhood mediation… but the neighbor displaying the images refused to take part,” police said. “The reporting neighbor has also been provided with instructions on obtaining a PPO that may assist in resolving the overall issue, but it is unknown if they have initiated the process.”
Police and some city officials said they will continue working with both parties to try to reach a peaceful resolution.
Meanwhile, Villarreal de Hernandez said she has filed paperwork for a personal protection order and plans to build a privacy fence, but the emotional toll on her family is mounting.
“Two months of harassment, and they say it’s protected speech? I just want it to stop,” she said. “I’m just tired of the harassment. Just sick of it.”
If the PPO is granted and the situation continues, it may give Westland Police more authority to help due to a violation of the order.