The cursed tale of Annabelle has captured the attention and curiosity of many over the years. The investigation into this haunted doll has revealed a web of paranormal occurrences that have left many terrified and intrigued. Annabelle, a seemingly harmless Raggedy Ann doll, first gained notoriety when she became the focus of a case investigated by paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens, renowned demonologists, were called in to examine Annabelle after a series of strange and unsettling events began to unfold. According to reports, the original owners of Annabelle found the doll behaving inexplicably. It would move on its own, change positions, and even write messages on parchment.
KC: That’s how they’re usually seen in movies. But it depends on their origin. Dolls used in rituals in African countries are often made of cloth, but Haitian dolls are usually made of wood.
The yearly Ghost Adventures Halloween special has become a tradition in the Creepy household, and this Saturday things are gonna get really spooky as Zak Bagans takes viewers into his Haunted Museum. If you ve seen the movies that make up the Conjuring -verse, then you have seen the fictionalized version of the Warrens archive, where they keep all the cursed objects they come across.
It would move on its own, change positions, and even write messages on parchment. Believing the doll to be possessed, they sought out the help of the Warrens. Upon their examination, the Warrens determined that Annabelle was not merely a possessed doll, but actually a conduit for a malevolent spirit.
Haunted Dolls, Curses, and a True Crime Voodoo Cold Case
In writing my crime novel What They Don’t Know, I wanted my lead character to have an unusual relationship with her collection of dolls. As a psychological thriller, what better than to include haunted dolls? Not knowing a lot about haunted dolls and wanting to learn more, my research took me to Alabama where I met with Kevin Cain, ghost hunter, haunted doll collector, and author. There we discussed real doll-infested crimes, proving once more, that reality is sometimes stranger than fiction.
Here are a some of the questions I asked Kevin:
SF: You’re a member of Alabama’s Spirit Communications and Research team. Can you tell readers a little about S.C.A.R.e. And what type of investigations you conduct?
KC: I joined S.C.A.R.e. in 2013. We’re a small team, under a dozen members and have investigated more than thirty cases of paranormal activity, many of which were in private residences where a death has occurred due to a traumatic accident or a violent crime.
SF: The investigator in my novel, What They Don’t Know, believes he can sense things at crime scenes. Do you believe that crime scenes can have paranormal components?
KC: Absolutely. Energy from a murder victim could linger, especially an angered spirit.
SF: Has S.C.A.R.e ever aided in a criminal investigation?
KC: Not officially, but we’ve investigated paranormal activity surrounding deaths caused by crimes. They’ve passed now, but my friends, Ed and Lorraine Warner, who owned Annabelle, the doll in The Conjuring, assisted the police in investigations. There are many reports of paranormal evidence leading to the resolution of criminal cases.
SF: So, you would say that some evidence simply can’t be scrubbed from the scene?
KC: (laughs.) That’s exactly right.
SF: In your book, My Haunted Collection, The Dark Side, you’ve written about the suicide/murder of Daniel McKent (name changed to protect the family.) Can you give me a little background on this case?
KC: In 2016, Daniel McKent’s body was found outside his home in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. It appeared that he’d died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Neighbors reported that Daniel had recently slipped into depression after the death of a loved one. He’d also accrued substantial debt and then lost his business. Initially suicide was suspected, suggested by the fact that only Daniel’s prints were found on the gun that killed him. However, other evidence at the scene indicated foul play: the rifle used to kill him was located a distance from the body, and an autopsy determined that the bullet entered at the back of the skull. No suspect was named, the skull was entered into evidence, and the case remains under review.
SF: How did you get involved in this case?
KC: Daniel’s friend and estate executor, Marilyn, had moved into Daniel’s home to inventory his collections to be auctioned. She called our team to investigate paranormal activity she’d experienced in the residence.
SF: What type of activity?
KC: Unexplainable footsteps and knocking on the walls which would stop as she entered the room, pots and pan clinking in the kitchen, the sound of hammering and construction coming from the basement. This had gone on for some time, but what prompted Marilyn’s call was when Daniel’s spirit manifested and let out an angry scream before vanishing.
SF: That would be terrifying. How did you conduct your investigation of Daniel McKent’s home and what were your findings?
KC: We used several tools in the investigation. A K2 meter which reads electromagnetic activity and thermal readers for sensing heat. The K2 readings did consistently lead us to the fireplace where after some exploring, we discovered a loose brick which turned out to be a secret compartment for hiding something, maybe cash or something else of value. It was empty when we found it. But our most direct findings were detected by using a spirit box.
SF: What is a spirit box?
KC: A spirit box is a device that scans several radio frequencies creating white noise that helps make a spirit’s voice audible to our ears.
SF: And what did you hear?
KC: We picked up on the words: money and murder. Marilyn, his friend, confirmed that it was Daniel’s voice.
SF: Are there circumstances in this case related to a haunted doll?
KC: Yes. Marilyn attributed much of the misfortune that led to Daniel’s death to a voodoo doll. Daniel traveled extensively and collected items from around the world. Marilyn remembered Daniel showing her a doll before his death. He said that it was given to him by a Haitian woman who told him that it was cursed and would bring tragedy to whoever brought it into their home. Daniel thought the curse was “nonsense,” named it Voodoo Mama, and added it to his collection. Soon afterward, his life took a tragic downturn.
SF: Can you describe Voodoo Mama?
KC: Voodoo Mama is a small wooden doll with hinged arms and legs and human hair. The maker omitted her eyes, leaving dark open sockets instead. This type of doll is commonly left by mourning Haitians at their loved ones’ graves to act as a conduit, guiding the dead person’s spirit to the afterlife.
SF: Aren’t voodoo dolls usually made of cloth?
KC: That’s how they’re usually seen in movies. But it depends on their origin. Dolls used in rituals in African countries are often made of cloth, but Haitian dolls are usually made of wood.
SF: The main character in my novel, What They Don’t Know, has a vast collection of dolls in her house much like here, in your home, but you specialize only in haunted dolls. Is that correct?
KC: Yes, all my dolls are haunted. I’ve been collecting dolls and other haunted items for over nine years and now own over two hundred dolls. Most of them come from people who don’t want to keep them anymore, so they send them to me.
Kevin then gave me a tour of the extensive items in his collection. He told me a bit of the history of some of his most notorious dolls and the paranormal activity associated with each of them. It felt eerie to see Voodoo Mama in person, so to speak, although the doll itself seemed innocuous.
SF: How did you get Voodoo Mama for your collection?
KC: Marilyn asked me to take it off her hands. Because of the curse, she didn’t feel comfortable selling it with the rest of the estate items.
SF: In your book titled My Haunted Collection, you explain that spirits sometimes attach themselves to dolls. Do you believe that any of these spirits could be demonic?
KC: Spirits that attach themselves to objects are usually human spirits and are benevolent, but I have run across dolls that are demonic conduits. In those cases, demons use the dolls to get closer to someone who they want to possess.
SF: Kevin then pulled a case from the shelf that contained a rather innocent looking doll with piercing green eyes and a matching green velvet dress. I asked about her story.
KC: This is Lori. She was sent to me by her previous owner, Vivian, who purchased the doll from another on-line collector. Not long after receiving her, Vivian started experiencing paranormal activity. She described sensing a demonic presence in her apartment, seeing dark humanoid creatures lurking about, and experiencing violent nightmares. During one nightmare, she awoke with scratches on her body. Once I received Lori, I also sensed something evil about her, so I doused her in holy water and prayed over her. Then I sealed her in this case.
SF: Can a case contain a demon?
KC: No. The sealed case is used to keep the doll bound so that no one comes into contact with it, and hopefully it will no longer harm anyone.
SF: Kevin put Lori back on the shelf and our attention drifted back to Voodoo Mama and my final question: Do you believe that a curse, or an evil entity, is attached to Voodoo Mama and caused the tragedies in Daniel McKent’s life?
KC: Marilyn thought so, but I’ve owned Voodoo Mama for several years now, and I’ve not sensed anything malicious or evil about her. To me, the K2 meter and spirit box readings from Daniel’s residence are more convincing that foul play was involved in his death. It was as if Daniel was trying to leave a clue for us, perhaps hoping for a resolution to the crime and peace for his own spirit. But please understand that along with ghosts and other fascinating elements hovering unseen around us, there also lurks evil and danger. The business of the paranormal is definitely not for the untrained or the weak at heart.
I thanked Kevin for his hospitality and for allowing me to see his collection. Then I took one more look at Voodoo Mama before I left. Haunted or not, she had led paranormal investigators to look deeper into a cold case crime. Sometimes life can take twisty turns to find the answers to a mystery. In this case, book research had introduced me to the fascinating world of paranormal investigation. I’m still not sure what I believe about hauntings, but one thing seems clear: there are things out there that we may not understand and sometimes how we get to the truth is not as important as the journey we take to find it.
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KC: Marilyn thought so, but I’ve owned Voodoo Mama for several years now, and I’ve not sensed anything malicious or evil about her. To me, the K2 meter and spirit box readings from Daniel’s residence are more convincing that foul play was involved in his death. It was as if Daniel was trying to leave a clue for us, perhaps hoping for a resolution to the crime and peace for his own spirit. But please understand that along with ghosts and other fascinating elements hovering unseen around us, there also lurks evil and danger. The business of the paranormal is definitely not for the untrained or the weak at heart.
The doll acted as a vessel for this dark entity, using its innocent appearance to manipulate and harm those it came into contact with. The investigation into Annabelle did not end with the Warrens. The doll was eventually acquired by the Warrens' Occult Museum, where it remains under lock and key. Visitors to the museum often report feeling a sense of unease when standing near Annabelle, and some claim to have even witnessed the doll moving on its own. While skeptics argue that the Annabelle story is nothing more than a clever hoax, there are many who remain convinced of its authenticity. The numerous accounts of paranormal activity, coupled with the reputation of the Warrens, have solidified Annabelle as one of the most notorious haunted objects in history. In the end, the investigation into Annabelle may never yield concrete evidence or a satisfying conclusion. The question of whether or not the doll is truly cursed will continue to divide believers and skeptics alike. Nonetheless, the tale of Annabelle serves as a chilling reminder of the mysteries that lie beyond our understanding, and the power that some objects hold over our fears and imaginations..
Reviews for "The Unexplained: Unraveling the Secrets of Annabelle's Haunting"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - "I had high hopes for 'Investigating the Haunted Curse of Annabelle' as I love a good horror documentary. However, this film fell flat for me. The pacing was slow, and there weren't any real scares or tension-building moments. The supposed evidence of the haunted curse felt forced and unconvincing. Overall, I found it to be a disappointing and unremarkable film in the horror genre."
2. Michael - 2.5 stars - "While the premise of 'Investigating the Haunted Curse of Annabelle' had potential, the execution left much to be desired. The documentary lacked a cohesive narrative and failed to delve into the history or mythology behind the curse itself. The interviews with supposed witnesses felt staged, and the attempts at creating suspense were ineffective. It seemed more like a low-budget cash grab than a genuine effort to explore the paranormal."
3. Emily - 1 star - "I regret wasting my time watching 'Investigating the Haunted Curse of Annabelle'. The film lacked any originality and relied heavily on tired horror tropes. The reenactments were poorly acted and added nothing to the story. It felt like a documentary made by amateurs with no real understanding of the genre. I would not recommend this film to anyone looking for a genuinely scary or insightful documentary."
4. Justin - 2 stars - "I was hoping 'Investigating the Haunted Curse of Annabelle' would offer some new insights into the haunted doll phenomenon, but it fell short of my expectations. The documentary felt disjointed and lacked a clear direction. The investigations themselves were unimpressive and failed to provide any compelling evidence of the curse. Overall, it was a forgettable and unremarkable film that failed to leave a lasting impression."