An Easter egg hunt in Connecticut descended into chaos this weekend when parents ignored instructions and rushed the field, reportedly injuring some children in the process.
About 1,000 people were at the event in Orange, Connecticut, sponsored by the Pez candy company, when it was ultimately shut down on Saturday morning. Pez released a statement saying "due to the actions of a few, the good intent quickly turned into a mess," and apologized to guests. On Facebook, one parent claimed her child received a bloody nose after being knocked to the ground, and another said her son's Easter basket was broken during the melee. The company had put out 10,000 eggs for the hunt, and in an attempt to do damage control, gave out candy and coupons to people as they left.
Parent Nicole Simmons told the Hartford Courant the egg hunt was scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to noon, with different age groups going at staggered times. When she showed up at 10:40 with her daughter, she was told by an employee the hunt was done. "She said, 'I'm sorry it's over, people didn't follow directions and rushed all the fields at the same time,'" Simmons said. "I felt bad for her. You could almost see the disappointment in her face, almost even as if she wanted to cry. All the while, she's picking up the broken remnants of what should have been a fun activity for kids of all ages." While some people on Facebook blamed Pez for the unruly adults, most of the messages posted on Saturday and Sunday were in support of the company.
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