A Maryland mother, Unique Wiggins, has contacted police, raising concerns over a man living in a sewer near her home. She alleges that he repeatedly approached her children and chased them down the street.
Wiggins, who lives in Baltimore County, initially dismissed her children's accounts of a man speaking to them from 'the sewer' – which many netizens compared to 'Pennywise' from the horror novel It. However, after hearing similar complaints on multiple occasions, she investigated the location herself.
Children Report Encounters
Wiggins told CBS Baltimore affiliate WJZ that her 21-year-old daughter called her in distress after encountering the man. 'It was a Friday, and my daughter, who is 21, called and she was panicking. And I asked, "What's wrong?" And she said, "Mom, I'm scared. The man told me I can't walk right here and to just dip". And I'm like, '"What man?" And she was like, "The man in the sewer",' Wiggins recalled.
A man allegedly living in a sewer has been arrested for harassing children in Maryland
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) October 26, 2026
A mother told him to leave her kids alone, to which he replied "No, tell them to leave me alone" pic.twitter.com/OCwmkOpgPU
After her children reported several incidents, Wiggins visited the location and heard someone singing underground. 'I walk over to the little manhole sewer thing, and I hear somebody singing, and I think, "This is unbelievable",' she said.
'So I'm like, "Yo, yo, you", and he's like, "What?" And I said, "Leave my f****** kids alone". And he said, "No, tell them to leave me alone?". And I said,"They can't possibly be messing with you, and you are in the sewer".'
Wiggins alleged that the man spoke to her children and chased them down the street. She also suspected that the individual trespassed on her property and broke into her car.
Police Action And Court Orders
Baltimore County Police reportedly arrested the man in July for trespassing. CBS Baltimore also reported an arrest on 13 October, but police did not specify the charge. The October proceedings also involved a separate peace order, which was served on 22 October. The man is yet to be publicly identified.
Wiggins expressed concern about the authorities' response and told WJZ, 'I don't feel like I'm protected. I don't feel like my kids are protected. I'm not saying this gentleman should necessarily go to jail, but he should not live in the sewer. He should not be able to be down there.'
Social Media Draws Pennywise Comparisons
The incident has prompted social media reactions, with some users comparing the reports to Stephen King's It, which features the sewer-dwelling villain Pennywise. 'why does this sound like the actual plot of IT,' one user wrote.
When he saw his first kid pic.twitter.com/9RJWxv7sdl
— ArreytabiEtta (@XrayPC) October 26, 2026
Others questioned the circumstances surrounding the encounters and wrote: 'Lowk guy has a point, what are the kids doing there in the first place,' and 'Living in a sewer and somehow the children are the ones bothering HIM?'.
The exchange also sparked debate over the man's response. One user wrote, 'nah the audacity of "tell THEM to leave me alone" while you're in someone else's sewer is actually unhinged'. Another replied, 'Huh no one owns the sewer lol'.
Another comment emphasised the importance of protecting young people and stated, 'Children's safety must always come first in communities'. For Wiggins, the immediate priority remains ensuring that her children can move around their community without fear.
Children’s safety must always come first in communities.
— Vijayan Esther 🩵ྀི ⚘.ᥫ᭡⋆˚✿˖° 🚢 (@vijayanest22031) October 26, 2026
Culvert Clarification and County Support
Wiggins urged Baltimore County to install a no-trespassing sign and cover the openings. She stated, 'They can put a no trespassing sign there. They can put a no trespassing sign, and they can cover the holes,' she said. 'That's what I would like to see. I would like Baltimore County to make me feel like I am a member of this community.'
However, Baltimore County Police clarified to PEOPLE that the man was staying in a culvert, not a sewer line, and that no manhole was involved. Wiggins told WJZ that officers explained the area was public property, which limited their ability to address his presence.
A county representative said, 'Every person deserves to be safe and treated with dignity, including people experiencing homelessness and behavioural health challenges'. Police stated that attempts to connect the man with support services were unsuccessful.
