Pushy parents create mess at Easter egg hunts

What’s supposed to be a cherished Easter tradition turned into a mess after pushy parents caused a scene at egg hunts over the weekend.

Saturday’s event at the visitor center of candy company Pez in Orange, Connecticut, drew hundreds of people, some of whom ignored the rules.

“Everyone just rushed the field and took everything,” Pez General Manager Shawn Peterson told WFSB-TV.

Event organizers placed more than 9,000 eggs on three fields with the intention of having staggered start times for each age group. But Pez officials say parents didn’t wait.

Peterson said the crowd was “kind of like locusts.”

Pez in a statement apologized for “an unfortunate situation,” adding that the actions of a few turned the event into “a mess.”

“We sincerely tried our best to create a fun, free activity for everyone to enjoy,” the statement said.

People who attended the hunt took to Facebook to comment on the event, calling it “a joke” and blaming “greedy parents” for ruining the hunt. The event ended early. No injuries were reported.

In Proctor, Vermont, police were called to an overbooked Easter egg hunt Saturday at Wilson Castle after someone reported “multiple irate parents.” Organizers say more than 1,200 people turned out for the event.

Michael Cuthbertson, 34, of Newbury, Vermont, turned his anger toward police, allegedly threatening them before fleeing. A foot chase ensued, and police used pepper spray to subdue him. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Cuthbertson did not immediately return a call seeking comment.