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Akron Fright Fest shuts down following allegations of mock rape

Posted at 5:17 PM, Oct 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-25 20:09:22-04

An Akron haunted house where two people claimed they were mock-raped has decided to close out the season early, according to a post by management on Facebook.

Melanie Lake Inc. at Kim Tam Park that operates Fright Fest issued a statement that said:

We are not opening this weekend. And I am sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to visiting one of our haunted houses.  We opened last weekend, gave people a fun and safe experience and the response from our customers was heartening. 

We are closing this weekend because I am facing a very challenging time personally.  I need to be with my family and I decided given everything going on that not opening was the wisest choice for me personally and professionally.

I would ask all to please respect this decision, my privacy and my family during a challenging personal time for all of us.  Thank you

 

More allegations arose after News 5's story aired. Several other people reached out to News 5 on Facebook about their experiences at the haunted house.

RELATED: A couple says they were mock raped at the 'Akron Fright Fest' haunted house

"It was 100 percent a rape scene," one Facebook user wrote.

Another Facebook user said, "They grabbed my ankles and shins and pulled my legs apart and was thrusting while telling me to scream papa."

On Oct. 17, the managing partner of Melanie Lake Inc. at Kim Tam Park issued a statement on Facebook stating that employees who had been in the area where the mock-rape allegedly occurred had been fired.

RELATED: Springfield Township police investigating alleged mock rape scene at Akron-area haunted house

Fright Fest also hired additional security and added monitoring systems to the haunted houses to "provide an even safer experience for our customers and staffers." 

The managing partner also said proceeds from the haunted house would be donated to the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit counties.

RELATED: A haunted house lover's list of the best haunted houses in Northeast Ohio