'Burn in hell': Vandalism of mom's car prompts hate crime investigation
The daughter's dating history is a factor in the investigation.
A hate crime investigation is underway in North Carolina after a woman's minivan was vandalized with a swastika as well as misogynist, racist slurs.
Amanda Miller said she woke up on the morning of Dec. 27 to find the swastika and slurs spray-painted on the back of her car. Her family’s other vehicle had also been broken into and set on fire, she said.
“You don’t know what to think,” Miller told ABC News of how she reacted to the scene. “You’re angry. You’re upset. You’re worried – what if something else happens?”
Miller says she believes the vandals have targeted her family because her 14-year-old daughter, who is white, has dated two African American boys.
Miller said her daughter wasn’t home at the time.
“I don’t know what she would have thought and I don’t know how she would have reacted to it,” she said.
Miller said that her daughter has had “only had two boyfriends and both of them have been African Americans.” She is not dating anyone at the moment.
“She does get looks. We've heard a couple of comments but nothing really to this extent,” Miller said.
In addition to the racial slurs, the van had “burn in hell,” sprayed on it according to both Miller and Det. Scott Peele from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
Miller has started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for a new car to replace the burned car.
“The profanity that was written on my car has caused many cars to drive by and stare at my family,” Miller wrote on the GoFundMe page. “It makes me very uncomfortable to be there. I fear for my daughter’s life because I never thought someone could have this much hate for a 14 year old girl and if they are brave enough to do this what is next.”
Peele confirmed that an investigation is underway and the incident is being treated as a hate crime. No suspects have been named.
“We’re looking at everything in this case,” Peele said.
That includes the daughter’s social media accounts, Miller said, adding that her daughter has been harassed on Instagram.
Both Miller's daughter and her ex-boyfriend have spoken with police and shared access to their phones in an effort to help the case, Miller said.
Miller said that she is supportive of her daughter and doesn’t want this incident to impact her socially.
“I don’t want her not to date somebody just because of somebody's skin color because she's scared,” Miller said.
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