Man Dumps 80,000 Pennies On Woman’s Lawn As Final Child Support Payment

KEY POINTS

An 18-year-old Virginia teen said her father gave her mother 80,000 pennies as his final child support payment
The father said the act was the result of years of built-up frustration
The pennies were donated to a domestic abuse center

A teenager in Richmond, Virginia, received her father's final child support payment last month in the form of 80,000 pennies.

"I just turned 18. When I was in the middle of class, my dad came by. He had rented a trailer," Avery Sanford was quoted as saying by WTVR.

According to the Deep Run High School senior, her father "pulled up in front of the house and turned the trailer on so it dumped out all the pennies on the grass and my mom came out and was like, 'What are you dumping in my yard?' She didn't know who it was until he shouted, 'It's your final child support payment.'"

Sanford said she had to use a snow shovel in the summer to scoop up all the pennies that were dumped by her father, whom she said she has not spoken to in years, WTVY reported.

The teenager claimed he was trying to embarrass her as well as her mother and sister. "It’s upsetting that he doesn’t really consider that before he did this," Sanford said.

When sought for comment Tuesday, Sanford's father said the act was a result of 18 years of built-up frustration and that his emotions got the best of him, according to WTVR. Additionally, he said the last thing he wanted to do was to put a further wedge between him and his daughter.

The teen, however, said the act proved to her that she made the right decision in staying away from him, as she has no interest in having a relationship with anyone who disrespected her mother.

"It's really hurtful and damaging to your kids when you do things like that. It doesn't matter if they're young or an adult, the actions of your parents will always have some effect on you," Sanford said.

Sanford's mother said she reported the incident to Henrico Police.

She and her daughter decided to donate the pennies to Safe Harbor, an organization that supports domestic abuse, sexual violence and human trafficking victims.

"Turning around and donating that money to moms and children in need, I feel like that really turns this situation into a positive," Sanford said. "You can learn from it."