A local woman said someone has to be held accountable for the issues pertaining to Transition House.
This comes on the heels of her family being awakened at what they thought was an intruder recently.
It was approximately 11:40 p.m. on October 23, 2019.
The woman who asked not to be identified lives in the area of Transition House. The woman and her husband were sleeping upstairs when their daughter who was also upstairs heard a “rattling” at the door.
“My daughter looked down the stairs and could see a person on the other side of the door. Then (the person) started with door bell.”
The families dogs started barking and the daughter woke her parents up stating someone was trying to get in the home. At that point the family was unaware if it was a man or woman.
Immediately they called 9-1-1.
“My husband jumped out a bed and went downstairs We didn’t know who was on the other side of the door. My husband was yelling to get off his property and she just kept turning the door handle and ringing the bell.”
At this point fear had set in and the female homewoman ran to the back of the house and turned the lights on to make sure no one else was there.
“Once I made my way back to the front of the house I looked out the front window and that is when I saw a woman. I also needed to make sure the woman trying to gain entry to my house was safe. I had my husband ask her in a loud voice through he closed door – but she didn’t respond.”
Police arrived, and it was soon learned they were familiar with the woman.
“He (the officer) then asked her if she knew me, she replied “no.”
“He then said that this was my house she was trying to get into.”
After trying for a week to get in touch with the officer who was in charge of the investigation, last week she went to the police station to find out the news that the woman was not charged with anything.
(The investigating officer was off during the period of time)
A Special Constable who was at the front desk took the woman’s information, but said due to the privacy act, he could only release that information to the person who called 9-1-1.
“If my daughter was only six-years-old and we had her call 9-1-1, how on earth could I have her come into the police station and fill out a (freedom of information request) form. It didn’t make any sense.”
When an officer did speak to the woman, they said because of the Criminal Code it was not considered a break and enter because the person was at the front door.
The police officer said if the woman would have made an attempt to get in the back door, then they would have been able to charge her with attempt break and enter.
When the woman asked if any additional charges could be filed such as trespassing the answer was no.
“It doesn’t make any sense. Front door, back door, side door. The person was on my front porch while we were in bed, with her hand on my door handle, trying to get into our front door. Even with my husband holding the front door from the main entrance, telling her to leave the property, she did not leave the property.”
A few days after, the homeowner found out the person who was on her porch was on the Transition House social media site along with others carving pumpkins.
“That she lives at Transition House – is known to police, makes me angry,” said the woman.
“This woman gets to walk, parade around town like a respectable citizen and Transition House can post Halloween photos, which capture her carving pumpkins with a viewing perception that it is a wonderful safe haven for women.”
“Whose concerned about myself and my family in the privacy of my own home?”
The family moved to Cobourg approximately three years ago from the Whitby area and still has no regrets.
“I still love Cobourg and I wouldn’t change our decision for anything.”
But she admits it does change her sense of security.
It’s not all the people residing in Transition House. It’s not the ones you can walk by and say “hi” and have a conversation with.
“It’s the ones that are totally incoherent, that have no idea where they are. Just like the person trying to get into my house.”
“There is no one that is going to be able to prevent that from happening at my home, or anybody’s home on Chapel Street or anywhere in the downtown core.”
But the homeowner states one thing that could be done is to have curfews.
“If it is stemming from one place, then definitely there should be curfews, much like there is with other businesses. They have to shut down music at a certain time, there can’t be loitering in the streets. There needs to be stricter rules.”
Another suggestion is looking at some of the people who are residing there and the mental health issues.
“The people who are addicted to the hard core street drugs – they (Transition House) do not have the tools to be able to support and assist those people.”
“In closing, as a human being we are all taught that the actions that we take, hold consequences. It should never matter what your age is, what your race is, what your religion is, what your sexuality is, if you are doing something wrong, you need to be held accountable. It sounds like the woman that tried to get into my house has yet to be held accountable for the actions that she has taken while she has been a resident of Transition House and a member of society here in Cobourg.”
“So if no one is being held, or placing her accountable, who in Transition House or in the community is being held accountable for all the actions that take place with the residents with Transition House?”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
