Bad Santas: The 12 Worst, Real-Life, Shopping Mall Santas
This episode will lead listeners down a chilling path, unveiling the darker side Father Christmas. Picture this: The holiday season, a time of twinkling lights and merry songs, where children's laughter rings through festively decorated malls. Here, Santa Claus sits enthroned, a symbol of joy and generosity. But not all Santas embody the spirit of the season. In this episode, we expose the underbelly of this festive tradition, where some who don the red suit are far from the benevolent figures we expect. Including:
- Gropey Claus
- The Krazy Kringle of Woodland Hills
- And a couple of Yuletide Monsters that don't deserve a clever title at all...
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Zevon Odelberg is a true crime podcast host and disability advocate. Zevon has cerebral palsy and he wants Kinda Murdery to be welcoming community for people with disabilities and for people living with challenges of any kind. Life can be hard, but being together makes it better.
Warning, Kind of Murdery contains adult themes, explicit language, and descriptions of
violence. It is not suitable for anyone, and we recommend you stop listening.
Now. True crime with a dash of the paranormal, the garish,
the strange, in the darkly comic. I'm zevn Odelberg, host of kind
of Murdery, a podcast that's about more than just murder. It's my very
own pocket dimension, home to a curated collection of bizarre and compelling stories,
the unsolved, the unsettling, and the unbelievable. I cover it all just
so long as it's kind of Murdery. A big holiday hello to all of
you out there. Just like it says in the intro, I am zevn
Odelberg, and this is kind of Murdery. Today. We're going to delve
into a world where the line between humor and horror blurs, and the iconic
figure of jolly old Saint Nick sometimes takes on a more sinister and other times
a more hilarious. Hugh picture. This the holiday season, a time of
twinkling lights and merry songs, where children's laughter rings through festively decorated malls.
Here Santa Claus sits enthroned a symbol of joy and generosity, but not all
Santa's embody the spirit of the season. In this episode, we expose the
underbelly of this festive tradition, where some who don the red suit are far
from the benevolent figures we expect. Some of the kind of murdery Santas you'll
be meeting in this episode include gropie Clause, drunkie Clause, the crazy cringle
of Woodland Hills, and a couple that I didn't give a cute nickname to
and I'm just calling a horrific betrayal of trust. Yes, I'm warning you
now. Unfortunately, tragically, not all of these bad Santa's stories are as
funny as the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton. So as we proceed through this
list, alternating between the light hearted and the gravely serious, I invite you
to witness the full spectrum of these real life Santa stories. Each tale is
a reminder that even in the most joyous of seasons, reality can take an
unexpected turn. Stay tuned as we continue to unravel the mysteries behind these Santas.
Some who've stumbled humorously off the path and others who've veered disturbingly into the
shadows, lurching into the horrible embrace of human moral corruption. I'd like to
quickly note that, although this is a quote top twelve or bottom twelve list,
if you will, I'm not presenting these Santas in an actual ranked order.
Otherwise I'd be telling you about all the hard to take ones right in
a row at the end of the episode, and I don't think that's the
best way to tell a story. So thank you for trusting me on that.
And now please do join me as we uncover what truths we can and
solve what mysteries we may kind of murderies. Bad Santas. The twelve worst
real life sh shopping Mall Santa's starts now. Our first injury on the Bad
Santa's List is number twelve, Gropie Clause Hanover, Massachusetts, twenty thirteen.
In the bustling Hanover Mall, amidst the laughter of children, the snapping of
festive photos, a shadow falls over the holiday spirit. It's ten years ago,
twenty thirteen, and Herbert Jones, a sixty two year old man donning
the iconic red suit and white beard of Santa Claus stands accused of a crime
that doesn't exactly fit in the spirit of the holiday season. This particular Santa,
a figure expected to embody, warmth and safety, allegedly crossed a line
that no Santa should ever cross. An eighteen year old girl, dressed as
an elf and working alongside him in the festive photo booth, becomes the center
of a disturbing incident. Her job to spread holiday cheer turns into a nightmare
when she accuses Jones of groping her and uttering crude comments, a stark contrast
to the joyous role he was supposed to play. The police are called,
and the allegations are serious indecent assault and battery. Jones, steadfast in his
denial, pleads not guilty, but finds himself entangled in the consequences of his
alleged actions. Released on a one thousand dollars bond, he faces a band
from the Hanover Mall, his role as Santa indefinitely suspended as the legal proceedings
unfold. Number eleven, The Toxic Hockey Santa of Toronto. It's eleven years
ago, now twenty twelve. In a Toronto mall, a place usually brimming
with holiday cheer and excited children eagerly awaiting their turn to meet Santa Claus.
But for one little boy, his encounter with Santa is anything but Mary.
Dressed in a shirt supporting his favorite hockey team, the Maple Leafs, he
steps up to meet Santa, unaware of the shocking comment that awaits him.
This Santa, rather than offering a jolly greeting or a hearty hope oh oh,
delivers a harsh critique of the boy's beloved hockey team. Oh you're wearing
a Toronto Maple Leaf shirt. You shouldn't be wearing that. They suck,
he remarks bluntly. The words, striking a cold blast of winter air,
leave the young fan in tears. His excitement turned to distress. The incident
quickly spirals, resulting in the Santa being fired from his post. This story
serves as a somber reminder of the impact words can have, especially when spoken
by someone children look up to with such anticipation and joy. A Santa's role
is to bring happiness and magic to the holiday season, not tears and disappointment.
This Santa's strong hockey opinions, perhaps meant in jest, ended up costing
him his role and leaving a lasting sad memory for a young hockey fan who,
after all, was only rooting for his hometown team. Geez, Santa
number ten, not so much Father Christmas as Father Seriously, Man, what
the actual F word? Norcut's Garden Center. At the Norcott's Garden Center in
the UK in twenty twelve, a family's festive outing turns into a bewildering and
distressing experience. Wendy and Steve Kennant, along with their three young children,
approach them all Santa, expecting the usual cheerful exchange. What follows, however,
is anything but ordinary. The children, sharing with Santa that they've been
good this year, are met with a grim response. This Santa, rather
than affirming their good behavior with promises of gifts, chooses to delve into the
dark realities of the world. He speaks of quote bad people unquote and quote
bad things happening unquote, alluding to the heart wrenching tragedy of the Sandy Hook
School shooting massacre. The reference, heavy and completely out of place, confuses
and frightens the children, but the unsettling encounter doesn't end there. In a
bizarre turn, Santa requests the two little girls to leave so he can speak
privately with their brother. Alone with the boy, he whispers a crushing revelation.
And now in case you're listening to kind of murdery with your children,
which you probably shouldn't be, but just in case you are. Spoiler alert,
spoiler alert skip ahead, for this was the crushing revelation. Santa told
the little boy that Santa Claus isn't real. The boy unsurprisingly runs away in
tears, his belief in the magic of Christmas shattered. The Kennon family,
shaken by this encounter, receives a refund, and the mall Santa is promptly
dismissed from his role, or, as they say in England, sacked number
nine drunkey clause a Canadian mall twenty eleven. In twenty eleven, a shocking
incident occurred in a mall in Canada, one that would tarnish the image of
the beloved Santa Claus. This mall, Santa, tasked with spreading joy and
cheer to the children, arrived at work in a state completely unbecoming of his
role. He was blatantly drunk off his holly jolly ass Santa's arrival was marked
not by the usual married jingles, but a disconcerting display of stumbling and slurred
speech. His attempts at ho ho hoes were less expressions of festive joy and
more signs of his inebriation, causing parents excitement to turn to concern. A
Kiosk worker nearby revealed a troubling truth. This was not the first time that
this mal Santa had shown up intoxicated. Despite the visible signs of his condition,
it would seem that hesitation and disbelief or hope that he would clean up
his act with the holiday in bibing, had prevented earlier intervention. This time,
however, the situation couldn't be ignored. Security was called and action was
swiftly taken. Before drunken Clause could interact with any children, he was removed
and replaced, But the story doesn't end there, because once outside the mall,
he was arrested for public intoxication. Number eight Scrooge Clause of the UK
shopping center twenty fourteen. The year twenty fourteen brought a disheartening tale from a
shopping center in the UK, where a girl's anticipation for a magical Christmas moment
was dashed by a callous remark from Santa himself. Nine year old Sophie Robinson,
filled with the typical excitement of a child meeting Santa, encountered a response
from the jolly old Elf that was anything but typical this mall, Santa,
instead of welcoming Sophie with open arms, coldly told her that she was too
old to visit, and that she shouldn't have come at all. How in
the world is a nine year old too old to visit Santa? It begs
belief. These harsh words from Father Christmas, so out of place in the
season of joy and giving, left Sophie in tears. Her festive spirit crushed.
The shopping center's initial attempt to smooth over the incident, offering Sophie's mother
a twenty pound gift card, was out of step with the emotional toll the
encounter took on the young girl. However, as word of this unkind Santa's
behavior spread, a wave of support followed. Sophie was invited back for a
redo, and this time promised a Santa experience filled with the Christmas magic she
deserved. The shopping center also issued an official apology, recognizing the need to
restore the joy and wonder that Santa is meant to represent. This story serves
as a poignant reminder that the spirit of Christmas extends beyond age, and that
every child deserves to experience the magic and warmth of the holiday season without judgment
or scorn. I'd like to think that this holiday grace extends even to a
manchild like yours. Truly. All Right, these next two I'm going to
group together. These are numbers seven and six, and I'm gonna blast through
them a little bit because they are awful, and I'm just calling them a
horrific betrayal of trust. Numbers one and two. In the midst of the
festive season of twenty fifteen, Rally North Carolina witnessed a chilling scandal that shook
the community. Leander Dewey Jones, a sixty three year old mal Santa,
was at the heart of this disquieting, to say the least event known for
bringing joy and laughter as Santa, his true nature was sinisterly masked behind the
jovial red suit. I imagine you guys know where this is going, and
it is just gross. The alarming truth surfaced unexpectedly. Jones had taken his
computer for repairs, a seemingly mundane act that led to a horrifying revelation.
The repair technicians discovered something utterly appalling on his device, images of child pornography
depicting children younger than ten. Oh god. This shocking discovery led to his
immediate arrest, unveiling a disturbing side of a man trusted to be the symbol
of innocence and joy. Jones' involvement with the Rally Triangle Santa Buddies and organization
dedicated to spreading Christmas cheer, cast a shadow over its noble intentions. His
role as a children's entertainer, often appearing as a pirate or a magician at
kid's birthday parties, adds a twisted irony to the narrative. Police even found
a small pen camera hidden in his bathroom. Holy hell, this guy is
the worst mall Santa ever. If this was truly a worst ranking, he
would obviously be number one. Let's move on to the next extra terrible mal
Santa, and then we'll get back to the ones that are perhaps a little
more entertaining. Number six. A horrible Betrayal of Trust, Part two,
Quebec, Canada, twenty thirteen, seventy eight year old former mal Santa Lawrence
Doris awaited trial for six child sexual assault charges. He had previously worked at
the lay Promenada's Day something I can't pronounce at all Lataois maybe in Quebec and
was facing charges for the sexual assault of five victims aged nine to fifteen,
Oh God, between twenty twelve and twenty thirteen. One of those charges was
related to a claim that Doris had even touched a child inappropriately while they were
sitting on his lap in Santa's chair in the mall. Police, however,
claimed his pedophile activities were not related to his occupation as a mall Santa.
Doris was released on bail while awaiting trial. All Right, number five,
the Crazy Chris Kringle of Woodland Hills, California, nineteen ninety nine. The
Woodland Hills shopping mall in California back in nineteen ninety nine became the unlikely stage
for a Santa Claus meltdown that would go down in local lore. This wasn't
just an ordinary day in the festive season. It was the day Santa lost
his cool in a most unforgettable manner. The incident involved Kelly Fornatorro, a
new mom who had brought her nineteen month old son for the cherished Christmas ritual
a photo with Santa. However, this Santa was far from the embodiment of
holiday spirit. When the baby began to cry, as babies often do,
this Santa snapped. His reaction was not one of comfort or patients, but
of anger and accusation. His words to Fornaturo were cutting and cruel. He
said, was it worth it? Was it worth it for you to torture
your child for a picture? You must be an evil person unquote. Such
harsh judgment, coming from a figure meant to symbol kindness and goodwill, left
onlookers in shock. As the situation escalated, furna Torro's threat to report him
seemed to trigger a bizarre defense. He claimed to be the real Santa Claus
be quote best person in the world unquote, before proceeding to rip off his
costume and beard in a dramatic outburst. Security had to intervene, escorting the
irate Santa away as bewildered shoppers gopped at the spectacle. This Santa's identity remained
a mystery, as both the mall and his employing company chose not to release
his name. The incident, however, left a stain on the holiday experience
at Woodland Hills, turning a moment of expected joy into a tale of an
explosive clause, A crazy Chris Kringle, if you will, whose meltdown became
a legendary story of how even Santa can have a very bad day. Number
four Remember the context clause. The partisan Santa of Seminal Town Center, Florida.
In twenty sixteen, the Seminole Town Center in Sandford, Florida, became
the backdrop for a politically charged incident involving an unconventional mall Santa. This Santa,
whose identity remained undisclosed, veered off the traditional path of jolliness and neutrality,
waiting into political commentary in an unexpected setting. During a routine Santa visit,
a little girl perched on Santa's lap was told she was on his nice
list. However, the conversation took a surprising turn when Santa posed a question
about his knotty list. He asked the little girl, do you know who's
on my naughty list? Little girl? Oh, a girl innocent and curious,
admitted that she didn't know who might be on it. Santa's response,
well, Hillary Clinton. Of course, the offhand political comment, though perhaps
meant in jest, was not received lightly. The girl's mother, concerned about
the inappropriate nature of the remark, lodged a complaint. The mall's response was
swift. The Santa was replaced and sent to human resources for counseling. An
apology was also extended to the mother. This incident highlights the imports of maintaining
a neutral and welcoming environment in settings meant for children and families. Santa,
a symbol of universal joy and cheer, found himself at the center of a
controversy for bringing partisan politics into a place where the magic of the season should
have been the only focus. That said, I think Santo would be hard
pressed to find a politician, any politician, yes, Hilary Clinton included,
who didn't belong on the naughty List. Number three the exclusionary clause of Orange
County, California, twenty fourteen. Exclusionary clause sounds like something in an employment
contract, but we're going to go with it. The holiday season of twenty
fourteen, at an Orange County mall in California, witnessed a disheartening episode,
one that deviated starkly from the spirit of inclusivity and from the spirit of holiday
joy. A seven year old autistic girl Abcde Santos pronounced Bob Sudy. Okay,
Now, I would never mind a mentally divergent child, but I just
have to point out that, factually, not mockingly, Yes, you heard
that correctly, the girl's name, which is Obsidy, is spelled Abcde as
in the first five letters of the alphabet in a row, which is unexpected.
Anyhow, back to the story, a seven year old autistic girl named
Obsidy Santo's faced an unexpected and hurtful rejection from the mall Santa, a figure
meant to embody kindness and acceptance. Obsidy, accompanied by her loyal service dog,
a pit bull named Pupcake, had waited patiently in line for thirty minutes,
anticipating a joyful encounter with Santa Claus, but instead of a warm welcome,
they were met with cold dismissal. The Santa cited an allergy to dogs
as the reason for turning them away. The family's explanation that Pupcake was a
service dog and legally allowed to be there, did not sway this Santa Claus,
who remained adamant in his refusal, and it sparked immediate action from the
mall. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, they replaced the Santa and issued
an official apology on their Facebook page. In a bid directify the distress cause
the shop's admission, Viejo extended an invitation for obside for a special Santa experience,
hoping to salvage the joy of the season for the young girl who had
left in tears. Number two the Sour Santa of South Portland, Maine,
twenty twelve. The holiday season of twenty twelve in South Portland, Maine was
soured by a mall Santa whose demeanor was anything but merry. Parents and children
who visited this Santa were expecting warmth and joy, but were instead met with
rudeness and grumpiness. This Santa's lack of holiday spirit was startlingly apparent. He
refused to let children sit on his lap and even scoffed at their wishes.
One particular incident encapsulates his unsuitability for the role. A child's request for an
American Girl doll was met with derision, as Santa told her she'd get a
quote American football unquote Instead. These interactions, far from the comforting and jolly
nature of Santa Claus, led to a wave of discontent among the parents and
children. Their shared experiences on social media caught the attention of the news,
amplifying the call for action. Facing a growing backlash, the mall management decided
to relieve the Grumpy Clause of his duties, replacing him with someone who could
better embody the spirit of Christmas. And we've made it to number one combative
clause of the UK, otherwise known as Fighting Santa Rush. In a shocking
turn of events, a mall Santa in the UK named Gary Rush found himself
in a personal feud during his Santa duty. The confrontation began when Rush's former
father in law, Eugene Henning, entered the mall. Rather than maintaining his
composure as Santa Rush let personal grievances take over. Gary Rush demanded that Henning
leave the mall and it escalated into a physical altercation, shocking the families and
children waiting in line. The image of Santa usually associated with kindness peace,
was shattered as Rush attacked Innning in a fit of anger, so Santa in
a rage, chucks the kid off his lap, jumps out of his chair
and goes and starts beating the crap out of his former father in law in
front of everyone during the holidays. That is pretty epic and that is number
one Rajah Hollick fighting clause from the UK. Hey, everyone, I just
wanted to say thank you so much for listening to kind of Murdery every Thursday
and Sunday as you do, and supporting the show this year. I really
appreciate all of you. Because Sunday is actual Christmas Eve and I have family
in town, it will probably be a kind of Murdery classic episode. So
I wanted to take this moment just to say thank you. Thank you so
much for listening, for supporting me, for helping to bring fulfillment and meaning
to my daily endeavors. I really do appreciate you all. Merry Christmas,
Happy holidays, and I do also want to take a moment to remind you,
in case you're having a hard time this holiday, of the free three
digit lifeline number nine to eight that you can call anytime twenty four hours a
day, seven days a week. It's free to receive immediate counseling for substance
use, mental health, or suicidal thoughts. So if you find yourself in
a dark place, please do remember nine to eight eight, and please do
remember that you are loved and the world is a better place with you in
it. Until next time, I hope you enjoyed bad Santas, I hope
you're on the nice list, and I hope there's a good Santa in your
life. I'm Zevan Odelberg and this has been kind of Murdery. If you
like the show, he subscribe, review and tell your friends. You can
find us on social media at Kindamurdery or email at Kindomurdery at gmail dot com.
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