She hadn’t been expecting to receive news like this today. She sat down on the living room chair and tried to calm her nerves. How would she find a solution to appearing in court?
She was startled by a loud bang and whipped her head around to find the source of the noise. She spotted them walking past the window to her door, and she grew anxious.
Her Property
Gerry Suttle was a 75-year-old woman who lived a peaceful retired life on her property in Texas. It had been a few years since she bought her two-acre property.
She still adored the land she had bought, but her age didn’t play in her favor. She struggled to maintain the property because she had become less active. She wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Alone
Gerry lived alone in Riesel, Texas. Purchasing the property meant that she could begin bringing her dream house to life, but the vision she had in her mind had faded over time.
Her husband had passed away several years ago, and the rest of her family were out of state. Gerry had no one close to her, which meant someone could easily take advantage of her.
Fearful
Gerry had grown fearful of the lawn over the years and missed how much she used to love looking at it. It had become overgrown with trees and bushes, which made it look eerie. She wouldn’t be able to tell if someone was hiding there or not.
The ample space was big enough that it was nearly impossible for there not to be any problems.
A Voice
The first time Gerry heard the strange noises from the backyard, she convinced herself that a fox or badger had found its way into her yard. But the noises didn’t stop, and she was scared when she heard a voice.
She was too spooked out to do anything at first. Her heart raced as she willed herself to look through the window to see what it was.
Trespassing
She spotted four young boys behind the bushes. It was difficult to see, but she could tell they were up to no good. It was her property, and they were trespassing.
Gerry didn’t want to involve the police, but she was too afraid to approach the boys. She had no intention of running to the cops for help.
Breaching The Law
The cops had confronted Gerry with an official notice. They claimed she had breached property laws and ordered her to appear in court.
She hadn’t cut her grass, and they wanted her to pay the price. As a Texas resident, her grass was not allowed to grow longer than 18 inches, or she would have to pay a fine. But there was an issue.
Unaware
Gerry hadn’t been aware of this law or notified about it. If she had, she would have done something about it, but she had only heard of it when they ordered her to court after reprimanding her for avoiding the fine.
They threatened her with jail time despite knowing her age and circumstances. They wouldn’t easily let go of this violation.
At Her Door
Danny Krumnow was the Riesel Police Chief who said Gerry’s grass was a violation of the city ordinance because it had grown too tall. She was shocked when they appeared at her door and explained how serious her crimes were.
She hadn’t wanted to see them again after that and started to feel hopeless. But her neighbor was surprised by what she did next.
Having Her Back
Gerry did nothing to keep the boys off her property. She wasn’t too worried about them if they kept their distance from her house. But somebody felt differently.
Tom did what he could to look out for his neighbor, Gerry. But his help was limited because of his old age, but an opportunity came that would have Gerry feeling forever grateful.
What Were They Up To?
Gerry had no idea that Tom worried about her safety when he noticed the boys sneaking in and out of her backyard. The youngsters had been creeping bags in and out, and Tom had had it.
He wanted to see what was happening in Gerry’s backyard and set his outdoor security camera to overlook it. He was shocked when he discovered the truth.
Investigating
Gerry tried to distract herself from the commotion outside by sitting in her living room. She had no idea that Tom had decided to investigate.
He watched the boys and was stunned when he realized what they had brought in their bags. They were oblivious to the camera watching their every move.
Lending A Helping Hand
The boys had been working in Gerry’s garden by breaking it into sections and bringing gardening tools. Everyone had heard the news about Gerry. She had no idea how horrified everyone was when they heard about her possible arrest.
They thought it ridiculous that tall grass would land an old woman in jail. The boys wanted to help her.
Coming After Her
Gerry didn’t show her face in court, and it wasn’t long before they came to arrest her. Gerry thought about her options and concluded that she was too old to work in the backyard. But she couldn’t afford to pay someone to help her. Tom couldn’t believe what he saw.
Gerry had no idea what was about to happen.
Knocking At Her Door
Despite Gerry’s expansive lands, Tom could see the young boys closing in on her house. He anxiously watched as they crossed Gerry’s lawn and stopped to know on her door.
Tom watched as Gerry opened the door with a nervous expression. He could tell she was worried about what they had to say to her.