Short version (because I need attention and assistance): NDN has basically just threatened to accuse my DH of child abuse, because she doesn’t like him. Obviously there’s no justification for this, but what the fuck and how do I handle this? Do I call them proactively? Is this blackmail? For what I’m not sure. Will SS turn up and take our child on the basis of an unsubstantiated claim?! I don’t know what the hell to think! Daren’t tell DH because I don’t want to upset him.
Backstory, we’ve lived in our house nearly 3 years. Neighbour has always been odd/ off with us regarding what she perceives as excessive noise, namely, if my husband runs in the garage and plays music, or is working in there etc (garage joins the houses). We live in a cul de sac with houses very close to each other. No direct negative contact has ever come from any other neighbour, we know most of them for polite chats and seem to get on ok as far as we can tell. Being in garage is extremely rare, he hasn’t been in there in months. Thing took a more sinister turn over summer when she called the police and council accusing him/ us of playing recordings of ‘terrorist threats’ and ‘mixing chemicals’ in the garden. If relevant, DH is mixed race, your speculation on country of origin probably correct but fairly outing. Police and council visited us and subsequently wrote the matter off as NDN being a bit loopy. Today husband back in the garage clearing out a load of stuff with garage door open and music playing; I consider myself fairly sensitive to noise but hadn’t noticed (and was in room next to garage). Bang on door, she’s asking to turn it down. Fine, I go in and do so, DH grouches but ‘whatever’. She then appears in garage door “If you needed to call the doctor because your child was sick and you couldn’t hear over noise I was making you wouldn’t be happy’” Bear in mind we’d been having a conversation without shouting at each other before she popped up, and given previous issues DH took umbrage with this and they had a spat which ended with me guiding NDN back to her door saying we would listen to volume together and go from there (I was invited in did not force myself or anything). She then proceeded to tell me how she and all the neighbours were concerned about me and my child (DD 2), that she ‘knows he’s a psycho’, that she hears recordings talking about child abuse when I’m at work (when I’m at work so is he!), that is wasn’t her that had called the police but another concerned neighbour etc etc. I was fuming by the point and suggested she go and buy something to record what she was hearing and call the police if she genuinely had concerns, but obviously I’m incredibly upset. I hate confrontation, I’ve never had neighbour issues before, I genuinely think we are reasonable normal people. Man from the council did indicate he would get mental health services involved when he visited but no idea if this happened.
Sorry if I’ve missed vital details- ask away.
Trying not to cry.