Neighbors' effort to save woman's home may be illegal

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies evicted a Dekalb County woman from her house, but her neighbors moved her back in.

Sherrye Calhoun has lived in a house on Abredeen Street for 30 years.

"I want to stay in my home," she said.

She said poor financial advice led her monthly payments to jump from $400 to $950 a month.

"I'm looking at it like this, the devil stole it but the Lord is going to give it back," she added.

Calhoun told Channel 2's Erica Byfield deputies moved her out in about two hours Friday morning and later that day her neighbors moved everything back.

Late Monday, Channel 2 Action News learned DeKalb deputies do not plan to re-evict Calhoun.

A DeKalb County Sheriff's Office spokesperson sent a statement:

"Our sheriff's deputies carried out their duties in serving the Writ of Possession which was ordered and signed by a Superior Court Judge on April 9, 2012. The property was turned back over to the lawful owner after the writ was carried out. Anyone moving back into the home has created a separate and distinct legal situation apart from the original writ. The Sheriff's Office doesn't have any other court orders that would cause our deputies to intervene in this matter."

A spokesman clarified by saying instead of a civil issue, this is now a criminal matter.

Calhoun told Byfield her father lived in the house before she did and despite not having running water she's determined to stay.

"I'm just asking God to be a fence around us, be a hedge to protect us," she said.

WSBTV