I. Description: Handwritten school assignment, dated March 4, 2024, by Timmy Reed, Age 7, single sheet of lined paper, submitted by Ms. Evelyn Porter (Lincoln Elementary School, 2nd Grade) to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from classroom on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

The Mushroom Guardians

Sam is a gnome that was in my Mom’s garden. He’s old and chipped, with a pointy red hat. There used to be mushrooms growing around him, little white ones, but Mom pulled them out last summer. Sam didn’t like that. He looked mad without his mushrooms. So I rescued him. Now he stares out my bedroom window at night. Me, Joey, Ben, and Lila made a club called the Mushroom Guardians. Joey wrote our club rules on his notepad. Ben’s the Sergeant of Arms and Lila’s our lookout. See, in Volunteer Park, there’s a magic mushroom garden. It’s a real Fairy Circle, and it’s secret. We found it hiding by the trees near the water tower. It’s ours. The bad men from the road company want to dig it up for a stupid street. We said no way and made our club to stop them. We’re four kids, and a gnome, against the bad men. We’ll figure something out. Do you have any ideas what we can do, Ms. Porter?

II. Description: Handwritten school assignment, dated March 4, 2024, by Lila Brooks, Age 7, single sheet of lined paper, submitted by Ms. Evelyn Porter (Lincoln Elementary School, 2nd Grade) to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from classroom on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

The Fairy Circle and Me

My name’s Lila and our new club is called “The Mushroom Guardians.” Timmy’s our leader, and he says he can hear his gnome. Sam is telling him how to save the fairy circle! It’s this secret spot where we feel like we can do anything, like fairies are watching us. These terrible men want to tear it out to build a stupid road! My job is to be the lookout ‘cause I’m the smallest and sneakiest. I can hide behind trees super easy and I don’t wear glasses like the boys do. I think Sam’s funny looking. His little feet are stuck together, so I dunno how he's supposed to move. Anyway, I really love fairies, and I’ll do almost anything to keep them safe! As long as I’m home by 7:00 because that’s when my Mom fixes dinner every night.

III. Description: Printed news clipping, dated March 6, 2024, Seattle Times, page A3, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from public records on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Volunteer Park Road Expansion Draws Ire, Vandalism

Seattle, WA—Apex Corporation’s plan to widen Park Drive through Volunteer Park’s eastern edge has sparked backlash from residents, with protests growing over the loss of green space. Last night, vandals struck, slashing tires on three Apex trucks parked near the site. Witnesses reported small shadows fleeing. "It looked like kids pulling a cruel stunt," said jogger Lisa Tran. The project, set to begin in April, promises faster commutes but will uproot trees and disrupt trails near the water tower. "It’s frustrating, but we’re pressing on," said foreman Jim Kessler. "Not everyone lives in a fairyland. This road will ease traffic." Police are investigating the tire damage as petty vandalism, though Kessler insists there’s no need for violence. "The road’s for everyone," he added. Community groups plan a rally this weekend to oppose the expansion.

IV. Description: Email, dated March 7, 2024, from Ms. Evelyn Porter (Lincoln Elementary School, 2nd Grade) to Mr. and Mrs. Reed, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from school email records on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Subject: Concern About Timmy—Can We Meet?

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Reed,

Left you a voicemail today—following up here. Timmy’s been a bright, engaged student this year, which makes his recent shift stand out. His latest writing assignment (snapshot attached) dwells on “mean men” threatening a park and mentions bringing your garden gnome, Sam, inside because “Sam didn’t like” the mushrooms being pulled up. That fixation feels odd for a second-grader. Lately, he’s quieter, staring out the window during lessons, sketching mushroom circles on his desk. At recess, he just huddles with a small group of friends, whispering like they’re in their own world, apart from the other kids. What’s most unsettling is how Timmy talks to that gnome like it’s listening. It’s unnerving the rest of the class—and, honestly, me too.

I’m worried this might signal more than just imaginative play, especially given recent trouble in Volunteer Park. His schoolwork is still solid, but I’d like to discuss this with you in person. Can we set a time to meet soon?

—Ms. Evelyn Porter, 2nd Grade Teacher

V. Description: Printed news clipping, dated March 8, 2024, Seattle Times, page A1, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from public records on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Disturbing Discovery in Volunteer Park Escalates Road Dispute

Seattle, WA—A grim scene greeted early joggers in Volunteer Park yesterday: a stray cat found dead, strung up in a tree with twine tied in such small knots one would have thought they had to have been made by child’s hands. Scrawled in the dirt below: "LEAVE FAIRYLAND ALONE!" The chilling message follows protests and tire-slashing vandalism earlier this week tied to Apex Corporation’s project. Police are probing claims of sabotage, with foreman Jim Kessler calling it "a sick escalation"—a stark shift from his earlier dismissal that "not everyone lives in a fairyland." Local activist Sage Rivers said, "I don’t condone violence, but that message speaks to a real loss—they’re tearing up our park, uprooting old trees, and ruining habitats for a road nobody needs." Authorities urge calm as the dispute turns darker.

VI. Description: Printed classified ad, dated March 10, 2024, Seattle Times, page C4, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from public records on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Missing: Five Garden Gnomes—Stolen?

Lost from my home at 789 Oakwood Ln: 5 small garden gnomes, brightly painted, moved from the yard sometime yesterday. Not valuable—just keepsakes from my late grandmother. If you took them, no questions asked, I’ll forgive you. Please return them. Check your yards, trash bins, or trees—maybe spotted as odd shapes around the neighborhood. They can be good at hiding. Contact M. Finch, reward offered.

VII. Description: Printed news clipping, dated March 14, 2024, Seattle Times, page A3, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from public records on March 18, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Volunteer Park Roadwork Resumes, Mysteries Persist

Seattle, WA—Apex Corporation pushed forward with its Park Drive expansion in Volunteer Park yesterday, resuming work after a week of bizarre disruptions—slashed tires, a dead cat strung up, and an unsettling encounter that left former foreman Jim Kessler rattled. New foreman Sarah Nguyen took charge, promising completion by May. "We’re back on track," Nguyen said, hailing the progress. "The road’s happening, whatever the trouble was." When asked about Kessler, who has taken leave for personal reasons, she offered little comment.

Local kids aren’t so sure. Seven-year-old Timmy Reed stood with friends Joey Carter and Lila Brooks near the site. He held up a tiny, red gnome’s hat he’d reclaimed near the water tower. "Mr. Kessler did something to Sam," he said, voice shaking, "and now they’re tearing out our mushroom circle." Carter added, "They can’t take everything!" Police remain stumped, with no arrests despite reports of small shadows and odd scrawled messages in the dirt. Residents mourn lost trees near the water tower, but with no new incidents, police have no leads on the disruptions.

VIII. Description: Printed news clipping, dated April 1, 2024, Seattle Times, page B1, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from public records on April 2, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Dog Uncovers Buried Gnomes Near Volunteer Park

Seattle, WA—A stray dog was caught chewing on five painted garden gnomes it unearthed from a shallow pit near Volunteer Park’s eastern edge last night. Resident M. Finch, 62, identified them as his "stolen" keepsakes, reported missing March 10. "Someone must have buried them," Finch admitted, visibly shaken. "thought they’d stay down." Police noted the figures were warm, some of their tiny stone fingers worn. "Almost like they tried to scratch their way out—guess they didn’t like the dirt nap," one officer joked to chuckles from the squad. No charges filed. Finch refused further comment, retreating indoors with the chewed up gnomes in tow. The bizarre discovery caps weeks of unrest tied to the Park Drive expansion, leaving residents puzzled but relieved at the project’s completion.

IX. Description: Typed clinical notes, dated April 5, 2024, excerpt from Dr. Alan Marwood, MD, Seattle Psychiatric Associates, submitted to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from medical records on April 6, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Patient: James Kessler, 41—Evaluation Summary

Former Apex Corp. foreman James Kessler, 41, presented today after a leave of absence and job termination. He reports an incident on March 12 near Volunteer Park, claiming a half-dozen small "gnomes" ambushed him in the dark. Armed with a shovel, he says he fought them off, struck each one unconscious, and buried them in a wooded lot. He ties this to prior site disruptions—slashed tires, a dead cat—and insists it’s why he left the project. Symptoms since include anxiety and sleeplessness, with vivid recall of the "gnomes." Diagnosis: Acute stress disorder, likely from workplace pressure. I suspect he encountered vandals, possibly linked to the five gnomes reported missing just two days prior, and built a stress-induced story. Patient claims it’s real, showing little insight. Ordered 72-hour hold; recommend ongoing care.

—Dr. Alan Marwood, MD

X. Description: Handwritten school assignment, dated April 8, 2024, by Timmy Reed, Age 7, single sheet of lined paper, submitted by Ms. Evelyn Porter (Lincoln Elementary School, 2nd Grade) to King County Sheriff’s Office, collected from classroom on April 9, 2024, Volunteer Park Incident Investigation.

Sam’s Own Fairy Circle

I saw the machines last week. The fairy circle by the water tower is gone. The mean men won, but they didn’t get our gnome! I found Sam shaking and hiding under the front porch yesterday. He had a chewed off arm and kept mumbling about his brothers… and a dog? He even found a new blue hat, slobbery with bite marks, but at least it’s big enough to cover his bald head!

Mom felt bad so she made us a new mushroom grove in the backyard. Our own little fairy circle. Now Sam watches over it so fiercely that I can’t get him to stay inside anymore. Yep, Ms. Porter, Sam’s the real Mushroom Guardian! I’m kinda worried, though. He’s changed. Quieter now, like he’s waiting for his brothers to wake up again.