A woman from Fort Myers is speaking out after receiving a disturbing text message the day after the election.
Shenika Wells said the message immediately reminded her of the film "Antebellum," which tells the story of a modern-day African-American woman who finds herself trapped on a Southern plantation, reliving the horrors of slavery.
The chilling text Wells received read: "You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. Be ready at 12am November 13, 2024 SHARP with your belongings. Our Exclusive Slaves will come get you and your son in a brown van, be prepared to be searched upon arrival to plantation. No personal belongings allowed this is a fresh start! You are plantation group A."
Wells said she was shaken by the message, especially because it contained personal details, including her home address and the name of her son. Though she considered responding, Wells ultimately decided against it, fearing that doing so could make matters worse.
"I thought about replying, but I didn’t," Wells said. "I was just scared. This person already knew where I lived and who my son is. It felt wrong."
The text left Wells in tears.
"That actually brought tears to my eyes just a little bit," she said, recalling the emotional impact the message had on her. "I didn’t think something like that could happen today, but it just felt so real. It reminded me of that movie 'Antebellum,' how we’re not supposed to be on any plantation anymore, but the message felt like a modern-day version of that."
Wells said the tone of the message and its targeting felt like a personal attack, something that was particularly upsetting given the context of the election.
"I get emails from my party during election time, but nothing like this. This was way beyond anything I've ever seen," Wells said.
The FBI has confirmed that the text Wells received was real, and they are investigating the source.
"The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter."
Attempts to reach the sender by phone were unsuccessful, and a system check revealed that the number used in the message did not belong to anyone in the public records system.
As authorities work to track down the sender, Wells and others who have been targeted by similar threats are left grappling with the fear and confusion the messages have caused.
The FBI has reminded the public that any threats of physical harm should be reported to local police.