CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte City Council Member Marjorie Molina made a puzzling discovery outside her home on Tuesday morning.
A sex toy was left overnight on her property. She said the item was not there when she left home for a city council committee meeting on Monday and she did not notice it when she returned.
"I'm glad my children didn't see it," Molina said. "I think that's pretty offensive."
Molia said she has no idea who could have done this or why they would do it. She's left to speculate on someone's reason for the action.
"I know that everyone may not be a fan but I don't deserve that," Molina said. "Definitely a very puzzling object to leave at someone's house. I don't have any kind of context as to why someone would do that to a council person."
The homes in her neighborhood are very spread out, according to Molina, so she believes the incident was intentionally targeted toward her. Cameras show some movement around her front yard around 9 p.m. She believes this is when the item was left at her home.
"It feels premeditated," Molina said. "How do you know where I live? I never post where I live. You look anywhere on the internet, you're not gonna find a picture of my home in anything that I post unless you're looking for it."
Molina has served on the Charlotte City Council since 2022 in District 5. She serves on the council's Transportation, Planning, and Development Committee and the Jobs and Economic Development Committee. Her district covers the multicultural east Charlotte, where she uses her Honduran background to champion Spanish-speaking residents in the area.
Her efforts have led to threats and upset people but she never expected something like this to happen.
"I don't dress provocatively. I don't do any of those things that someone would assume would maybe draw attention to you," Molina said. "I'm just puzzled."
She believes the harassment, especially with the type of object used, was done at least in part because she is a woman in a position of power.
"We've come a long way, with regards to how we see women in our country, but we have a long way to go," Molina said. "Whoever did this obviously is trying to say something however twisted [it may be], but they're trying to say something."
Shortly after she found the object, Molina posted on social media about the harassment.
"I woke up to a vulgar package on the street outside of my home this morning," Molina wrote on X. "Very concerning."
Molina received an outpour of support after the incident with many people condemning the harassment.
The council member said she may strategically place cameras around her home in a better position. She said as a single woman who often comes home at night she makes safety a priority. She did not involve the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in this incident because she did not want to use their resources on something that might not be a crime.
Molina still has love for the Charlotte community and hopes to continue pushing for issues important to residents of the Queen City.