Pismo Beach mayoral candidate screams at autistic transgender kid, brands her ‘sin to God:’ report

A Pismo Beach mayoral candidate has been accused of shouting insults at a transgender teenager who declined a religious pamphlet while trick-or-treating on Halloween. The teenager and her mother say the encounter escalated after the candidate allegedly forced the pamphlet into the girl’s bag; the allegations have not been independently verified.

The teenager, River, is autistic and 16. Her mother says she filed a police report and plans to pursue harassment charges, but it is unclear whether an investigation is under way or charges will be filed. Candidate Shelby Bowen lost the mayoral race, receiving 5.1% of the vote in the reported election update.