Danger Where You Least Expect It: Public Restroom Horror Stories
A Crime of Opportunity
Let’s face it: using public restrooms is a necessary evil most of us try to avoid whenever possible. If we’re lucky, the most we will encounter is an empty toilet paper roll or a clogged commode. If, however, the hand of fate falls hard upon us, we just might find ourselves in the crosshairs of a monster.
On November 14, 1998, nine-year-old Matthew Cecchi attended a family reunion at a campsite in Oceanside, California. At some point in the festivities, he announced that he needed to go to the bathroom. Not wanting him to go alone, his aunt had offered to walk with him to the outdoor facility and wait outside until he was finished.
As the aunt stood only a few feet from the entrance, a young man she had never seen before brushed passed her on his way to the men’s room. He reappeared a short time later, pausing long enough to sneer at her before vanishing into the crowd. The encounter, though fleeting, had chilled her to the bone.
Sensing that something was wrong, Matthew’s aunt had gone into the restroom, where she found his lifeless body lying in front of one of the urinals. As she tried in vain to render aid to her nephew, a bystander who had been alerted by her screams called 911.
