Ryan's Life

Family Upset About Sign In Neighbor's Yard

Sam Penrod reporting

A cardboard sign is hanging in a tree, directed at a boy with developmental disabilities, and the boy's mother isn't happy.

Neighbor: "I'm not taking the sign down, last night was the first night of peace we've got in a long ----- time."

Carrie Heaton, Colton's Mother: "They've put up this sign now, that we feel is very discriminatory against my son."

The cardboard sign is hanging in a tree in the Central Utah town of Nephi.

It is also being denounced tonight by advocates for the disabled.

The boy's family noticed the sign pointed at their home on Wednesday night, and tonight it is still there. That's despite our visit to the neighbors who put it up.

Advocates for the disabled are outraged, calling it insensitive and in the same category as a racial slur.
Carrie Heaton, Nephi Resident: "You are a good guy."

Colton Heaton: "Yes I'm a good guy

Carrie Heaton, Nephi Resident: "Yes you are... Pats"

13-year-old Colton Heaton is developmentally delayed. His mother says he is more like a three year old.

Carrie Heaton, Nephi Resident: "He looks normal but once you start talking to him, you can see he has these problems and he's just a loving little guy, he thinks we're just a great big family."But now a cardboard sign is hanging in their neighbor's tree -- spray painted with the words: "Caution-- Retards in Area." His mother says it is fortunate Colton can't read the words.

As we were filming the sign, we could see the neighbors who put it up were outside, so we approached them for their side of the story.

Sam Penrod, Eyewitness News: "Why did you put that sign up?

Neighbor: "I've been harassed for six months, my daughter has been assaulted."Sam Penrod, Eyewitness News "By who?"



Neighbor: "The young boy, we got pictures and everything and they would not press charges because he is handicapped."

The neighbor claims Colton threw a rock at his young daughter. Other neighbors told us they have frequently found Colton wandering onto their property.

Still, the Disability Law Center says using offensive words is the wrong way to handle a difficult situation.

Fraser Nelson, Executive Director, Disability Law Center: "People with disabilities are probably the last group for whom we continue to use language that is hurtful and offensive. Instead of being someone who is mentally retarded, you are a person with a developmental disability and that means really what we are valuing is the person."

Tom Brownlee, Advocate for those with Disabilities: "When I was growing up, people always used that word in front of me and called me retarded."

Someone who knows how hurtful that word can be is Tom Brownlee, who today is an advocate for those with disabilities.

Tom Brownlee, Advocate for those with Disabilities: "I hate that word, it was very offensive and I just want them to see that people with disabilities deserve the respect that they are entitled to."

Both Brownlee and Nelson are hoping the community will stand up against any behavior that lessens the role of people with disabilities in society.

Fraser Nelson, Executive Director, Disability Law Center: "Regardless of cognitive disability I may have, I'm a person and people do not deserve to have signs pointed at them, making fun of them, scaring them, harassing them."We contacted Nephi Police and they are working with the Juab County Attorney -- who told me tonight -- he finds it distasteful and derogatory and is researching what legal options may be available, since the neighbors still refuse to take the sign down.

The Disability Law Center is planning to meet with local officials to offer sensitivity training there in Nephi.








Ryan Say:
I posted this first over at One Love blog today and it's been on my mind all day. There are questions I have and I know I won't get answers for but I am gonna ask them anyway. First they say that Colton was throwing rocks at there daughter my question is why was he doing this? Maybe because the daughter is like her parents or over heard her parents talking about Colton saying he is retarded (I hate that word btw) and she was making fun of him. His way of reacting is throwing a rock at her maybe I don't know. But to me it seems like whatever the problem was I would bet it came from the daughter and Colton was just defended himself. Next the neighbors say they found him on there property who cares he is a kid and kids do that hell my parents got a lot of property around there house in Georgia and I know kids are on it all the time playin shit that's what kids do I know I did. Seems to me there is a lot of hate going on out there over Colton all I have to say to any of them people walk a day in his shoes just one day! He will never be able to do the things that they do or there kids do. His Mom will never see him get married, finish school, have a good job and what happens to him when his parents are gone bet they never think about that. Like I said walk a day in his shoes and see then if you put a sign up in your yard. All I can say is white trash at it's best. I can only feel a small bit of pain that Colton feels I think Jimm can feel me on this I know the feeling of getting pick on for having hearing aids and for wearing glasses being the small kid in the class. Until we stop all this hate and that is what this is to me is just hate then we as Americans will never better ourselves. We need better crime laws and discrimination laws. In the Declaration of Independence is says All Men Are Created Equal that's what is says but if you handicapped, gay, a women, black or poor then your not. Just makes me sad very sad I sure hope Colton don't have to put up with hate all his life!

Later!