Annabelle (doll)
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Annabelle is an allegedly haunted doll residing at The Warren's Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.[1][2][3] According to demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, the doll is demonically possessed. The Warren's story served as the inspiration for the films Annabelle and The Conjuring. Annabelle has been compared to Robert the Doll[4] and was described in Gerald Brittle 2002 biography of Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Demonlogist.[5]
Description
According to the Warrens, the doll was purchased at a second-hand Raggedy Ann store and given as a birthday gift in 1970 to Deirdre "Donna" Bernard, a 28-year-old nursing student.[6][7][8] The doll is described as the about the size of a four-year-old child. Donna's roommate, "Angie" alleged the doll would move on its own, sometimes crossing its arms or legs. The women claimed that doors which had been left open would sometimes close when no one was at the apartment.[6][9] The Warrens say the roommates also claimed to have found notes with the message "Help Us" in a child's handwriting.[10][11][12] The roommates suspect burglars, however they later believed the notes were not left by someone entering the house.
The women contacted a spirit medium who performed a séance.[12] The medium purported the doll was possessed by the spirit of a seven year old girl named Annabelle Higgins who lived on the property before being found dead in a field.
A mutual friend named, Lou, alleged the doll became malevolent and attacked him. Lou claimed that one night he awoke to find Annabelle attempting to strangle him, before fainting. After the incident, Donna and Angie contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren who alleged the doll was possessed not by a spirit, but a demon, and had an Episcopal priest exorcise the apartment.[6]
The Warrens moved the doll to the Warrens' Occult Museum where it currently resides.[7] Several stories have been told since the doll has been in the museum. A priest was believed to have been in a near-fatal car crash after telling the doll, "you can’t hurt anyone". In another story, a couple came to the Occult Museum and mocked the doll. Later they were in a motorcycle crash that killed the man and injured the woman.[6][10]
In popular culture
The Annabelle story is the inspiration for the 2013 film The Conjuring and its 2014 prequel Annabelle.[6] Many details are changed from the Warren's original account of the story. The actual doll is a rag doll, unlike the films which portrays it as a porcelain doll.[13]
See also
References
- ^ Bryan Alexander (1 October 2014). "'Annabelle' joins ranks of freaky dolls in horror films". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
- ^ Eidell, Lynsey (2014-10-07). "The Real-Life Story Behind Annabelle Is Even More Bone-Chilling Than the Movie". Glamour. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
- ^ Joal Ryan (3 October 2014). "How the Real Doll Behind 'Annabelle' Became Even Freakier for the Movies". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
- ^ Squires, John (2014-01-29). "Meet Robert; The Haunted Doll That Inspired Child's Play". iHorror. Retrieved 2014-12-03.
- ^ Brittle, Gerald (September 13, 2002). The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren. iUniverse.
- ^ a b c d e Rebecka Schumann (2014-10-02). "'Annabelle' True Story: 9 Freaky Facts About The Real Doll Haunting Ahead Of Movie Release". International Business Times.
- ^ a b Brittle chapter 3
- ^ McLoughlin, Pam (October 4, 2014). "Real 'Annabelle' story shared by Lorraine Warren at Milford's Lauralton Hall". New Haven Register. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Annabelle (2014)". History vs. Hollywood. Retrieved 2014-12-03.
- ^ a b "Annabelle the Devil Doll". Mysteries at the Museum. Travel Channel. Retrieved 2014-12-03.
- ^ Balzano, Christopher; Weisberg, Tim. Haunted Objects: Stories of Ghosts on Your Shelf.
- ^ a b "Annabelle". Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ Nancy Lynch (2014-10-28). "The story behind the 'evil' and 'dangerous' Annabelle doll". AOL.