I agree with OrphanCrow on this.
BluesBrother, you must remember the vast difference between JW's in North America and Latin America...
Many times things are overlooked when JW's are "new". They might be long-term studies, not yet baptized or recently baptized. Knowing JW's in the area the story is TOTALLY plausible.
I regret it to this day, but one time I rented a non-JW apartment and they had TONS of crosses and stuff, and it freaked me out. So I placed those things in a bag outside the apartment and then someone took them away. The owners were understandably really pissed because some of them were multi-generational gifts.
I was completely in at the time and now I deeply regret that I did that.