The story seemed heartwarming at first. An 8-year-old Seattle girl fed the crows in her backyard – so much so that they began bringing her gifts in return.

In the beginning, it was just food she had dropped on the ground when she was little, then it was snacks from her lunch – but then it became an intentional daily ritual involving large birdfeeders and constant bird feeding.

But in return, Gabi Mann received shiny trinkets the birds would set down in the yard just for her. She cataloged them and got to know the birds so well that she could tell the crows apart.

Writer Katy Sewall’s story about Gabi and her mother Lisa Mann went viral after it was published in the BBC Magazine in 2015. People were charmed and surprised that the birds they normally chased away could form such a bond.

Experts weighed in on the matter, pointing out that others had formed relationships with crows after feeding them as well – though not everyone was promised a shiny trinket. Crows also bring “gifts” like dead baby birds.

The BBC even made a heartwarming video in October of 2015 showing off the crows and Gabi’s gift collection.

And while plenty of people pointed out that the birds likely only came back because they knew where to get a good meal, there was a much bigger issue.

No one wants a neighbor that dumps pounds of food onto their lawn to attract birds.

A birdfeeder is one thing, but the Manns were leaving out far more food than your average bird watcher – and they were spreading dog food across the grass as well. That meant dozens and dozens of crows flying in on a daily basis. And birds don’t respect property lines, even in fancy neighborhoods like Portage Bay where the Manns live.

Six months after the BBC article came out, the Manns’ neighbors sued them for $200,000. They claimed the family’s bird feeders were drawing rats as well as flocks of pooping birds to the neighborhood and that their $1 million home now felt like it was in the middle of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

THAT’S when the neighborhood got really ugly.

The Manns’ attorney said the accusations were overblown but prior to the lawsuit, neighbors had complained to animal control at the local and state levels. Fifty-one neighbors signed a petition to stop the copious feeding, but the city of Seattle never intervened.

Public health officials did come out to investigate and found that the food was located in a place and of a sufficient quantity to potentially attract rodents, but they never witnessed any.

They sent a letter to the Manns asking them to reduce the amount of food they were scattering, particularly because both birds and rats can be potential disease carriers.

When the neighbors felt that more should be done, one couple filed the lawsuit, which not only sought the 6-figure damages but asked the court to issue an order preventing the Manns from setting out more than a quarter-pound of food each day.

Anne Johnsen, the plaintiffs’ attorney stated:

“The Manns have ignored all neighborly requests and have refused to engage in any meaningful dialogue regarding the unsanitary conditions they have created in an urban residential environment. My clients went to extraordinary lengths to resolve this issue amicably before filing a lawsuit. We hope for a reasonable and fair resolution for the safety and well-being of wildlife and humans alike.”

Like most civil suits, this one was settled out of court.

The reason the world never heard of any further stories on Gabi Mann’s crow friends is likely because it became a neighborhood nightmare.

The Manns made accusations against their neighbors as well, claiming one plaintiff hung a dead crow from his porch.

We don’t know more details because the lawsuit was dismissed in September of that year after a settlement. The Manns agreed to pay the plaintiffs a sum of money and restrict their bird feeding for eight years, according to Anna Johnsen. No other details were given.

It’s probably safe to say that if you want to feed wildlife, you should also respect your neighbors property as well.

Scroll down below to see news of the lawsuit that rocked a neighborhood.

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Source: BBC Magazine, BBC via YouTube, Seattle Post Intelligencer