TOWN OF CHENANGO, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A Chenango County family is warning the public that the woman known as Waving Lady is not as nice or harmless as she appears.

Pat Crossman was back on the bridge over Castle Creek on Upper Front Street today, wearing a cornucopia style witch’s hat as part of one of her Halloween costumes.

She’s there most days, waving at passing motorists and bringing smiles to many faces. However, a family from Coventry says Crossman has taken advantage of them by illegally squatting in a widow’s home.

Crossman admits that she lives in this farmhouse but that she had permission from the daughter of the widow who had moved out of town. The family strongly disagrees, saying they only told Crossman that she could house her cats in one of the barns. They say she broke into the house and has proceeded to trash the place, turning what was once a beautiful home into a slum.

Crossman says she’s struggling to get by without any utilities.

“No heat, water or electricity. I live there. I’ve got a lot of trash inside because the owner didn’t put it out. Plus, I have cat food bags, I don’t want to put it outside. I need really a dumpster, the dumpster people, but I don’t got that kind of money,” said Crossman.

The family says the farmstead was once well-maintained and home to a number of exotic animals, including miniature horses and Max the camel. But after the husband died and the wife moved away, Crossman started squatting there.

The property has since been foreclosed on, but Crossman claims she has permission from the bank to go on living there. She says she hopes someone would help her if she’s evicted.

“Let me stay there for me waving and me giving all these people a wave, a good time or whatever. I dress up in costumes. Not that it’s a big thing but we all have to give a little sometimes in life,” said Crossman.

The family accuses Crossman of deceiving people in order to mooch off them and then getting angry when people don’t give her what she wants. And they say her roughly 10 cats are in poor health, with eye infections and bleeding from their ears.

Crossman disagrees saying she’s kind to everyone, and does her best to take care of the cats, although she can’t afford a vet or to get them spayed.