SPRINGFIELD, Ohio—A backyard conversation between neighbors—followed by a misstated social media post that sparked a national media storm centered on reports of Haitian immigrants killing and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio—has led to a backlash that has both women fearing for their safety.
Erika Lee and Kimberly Newton live next to each other in what Newton describes as a “usually quiet and peaceful” neighborhood in this blue-collar city located midway between Dayton and Columbus in southwest Ohio.
Springfield was once a booming industrial community before multiple factories closed in recent decades, and its population began to decline, reaching just below 60,000 by 2020. In the past four years, however, the population has risen with the influx of Haitian immigrants….