CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A peculiar incident arose in Chillicothe where an elderly woman, a middle-aged woman, and a young girl, 10, raised alarm due to their belief they were being followed by multiple people in different vehicles. The trio’s state of anxiety and unusual behavior drew the attention of local law enforcement.
The women claimed that they had been under surveillance for five months, a fear they had previously reported to the Pike County Sheriff Office. However, lacking solid evidence like descriptions or vehicle registration numbers, their reports were dismissed. Their confusion and paranoia suggested potential mental health and substance abuse issues, especially concerning the younger woman.
The fear led them to discard their cell phones, convinced of being tracked, and they planned to escape to Columbus before flying to Georgia for safety.
“They continued by saying they had plans to go to Columbus tomorrow morning, and are flying to Georgia, where they plan to stay with other family members to get away from Ohio,” the officer wrote in his report. “They also stated they had tossed their cell-phones out the window while driving because they believe these people have trackers on their phones.”
Concerned about the child’s wellbeing amidst this, authorities reached out to Pike County Children Services, who came to the scene.
Two other women showed up, one being the younger woman’s sister and the child’s aunt. She revealed that the younger woman may have relapsed into substance abuse and that the older woman suffered from severe mental health issues.
After assessing the situation, the children service worker enacted a safety plan: the child and younger woman left with one relative while the older woman left with the other. Follow-ups have been planned to monitor the situation. The report has been forwarded to Pike County Children Services for documentation.
If you or a loved one is suffering from a mental health crisis, free help is available by calling 866-903-3787. The Mental Health Hotline is a free, confidential 24-hour hotline for anyone struggling with depression, anxiety, or any mental health crisis.