Buzz
Generally, an imaginary friend remains just that: imaginary. Children around the globe create them, interacting with them outdoors, saving them a seat at mealtime, debating over candy, and much more.
However, there are times when the concept of an imaginary friend hides something entirely different. This eerie idea has been the inspiration behind horror books and films, sending chills through audiences worldwide. Imaginary friends have also been involved in bizarre and mysterious events. Here are a few examples of such stories.
10. The Tragic Death of Ricky Cole
Ricky Cole inflicted harm and was allegedly responsible for the deaths of numerous people until he was viciously beaten to death with a pipe by a young man named Jason Cote (pictured above) in 2013.
During the trial, one of Cote’s attorneys claimed that Ricky Cole had an imaginary companion residing in a black box, known as Vern. According to the lawyer, it was Vern who allegedly encouraged Cole to maim and kill others. Jason Cote, who had overheard the conversations between Cole and Vern, became fearful for his own safety, prompting him to take Cole’s life.
The defense lawyers attempted to build their case on self-defense, arguing that the drugs found in Ricky Cole’s system could have induced a psychotic state, possibly leading him to imagine Vern. On the other hand, the prosecution contended that Jason Cote murdered Cole in cold blood after Cole refused to provide him with the drugs he desired.
In 2016, Jason Cote was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
9. The Boy in the Closet
When three-year-old Rebecca began mentioning her new friend, Jonathon, her parents didn’t think much of it. Even when she became fixated on her closet and claimed Jonathon was hiding inside, they paid little attention. After all, imaginary friends are common for toddlers, and Rebecca would likely grow out of this phase.
Then, when Rebecca’s mother became pregnant again, the family decided to move to a larger home to make space for their growing family. Rebecca soon lost interest in her imaginary friend, and her parents completely forgot about it. Four months later, the new owners of the family’s previous house reached out to Rebecca’s father. They had discovered a trapdoor in the back of Rebecca’s old closet, and beneath it, a hole containing a box was found.
Inside the box were baby photos and baby clothes. Written on the box were the words: “Jonathon’s.”
8. Karl-Anthony Towns’s Alter Ego
At 21 years old, basketball star Karl-Anthony Towns became the third youngest player in 30 years to score at least 45 points and grab 15 rebounds in a single game. In 2015, Sporting News published an article about Towns, as fans were curious about who the young player was conversing with during games.
The article revealed that Towns confessed to having an imaginary friend who eventually evolved into his alter ego, which he named Karlito. Towns described Karlito as the “little voice” that sits on his shoulder during games. His teammate, Tyler Ulis, contributed to the article, explaining that when Towns appears to be talking to the ground, he’s actually speaking to Karlito. It seems that Karlito plays a key role in helping Towns refrain from talking back to his coach when criticized during games. The coach, in turn, appears unconcerned with Karlito's presence as long as it has a positive impact on Towns’s performance.
7. January Schofield’s Imaginary Companions
By the time January Schofield was four, she had so many imaginary friends that her parents couldn’t keep track of them all. Some of these “friends” instructed January to harm the family dog and even her baby brother. Whenever she attempted to strike her infant brother, her father would have to physically restrain her. In response, January would lash out by biting her father wherever she could find a spot on his body. At school, she would throw herself against windows and doors.
These violent outbursts would only last for seconds or minutes, after which January would revert to being the sweet daughter her parents knew. January is also an exceptionally bright girl; she could speak in full sentences before the age of two and had the cognitive abilities of an 11-year-old by four. However, she preferred the company of her imaginary friends, which included little girls, animals like dogs, and even rats. She also refused to be called by her real name. At six years old, January attempted to take her own life by trying to leap out of her bedroom window. She also made attempts to choke herself with her own shirtsleeves.
After multiple doctor visits and consultations with a psychologist and psychiatrist, a heartbreaking diagnosis was finally made. January had child-onset schizophrenia, making her one of the youngest people in the US to be diagnosed with this severe disorder. To make matters worse, her brother Bodhi was diagnosed with autism at the age of five, and there is a real possibility that he, too, may eventually suffer from schizophrenia.
6. Jess
In her book *Psychic Kids*, Lynne Gallagher tries to unravel some of the mysterious occurrences that sometimes surround or involve children. She also delves into the idea of imaginary friends, sharing a chilling story about a family that had a frightening experience in their home:
Lorenda and Ben, along with their six-year-old daughter Anna, moved into a Victorian-era house with hopes of hosting guests and offering them a spare room. Over time, Anna began talking about a little girl named Jess and a dollhouse that Jess didn't want her to play with. Anna also started refusing to let the family dog into her room because Jess was afraid of her. Lorenda discussed this with Ben, but he wasn’t concerned, brushing it off as a normal part of childhood. Lorenda agreed and dismissed Anna’s growing complaints about Jess.
One night, when the lights went out, Lorenda hurried to the living room where Anna was sleeping on the couch to light some candles. That’s when she saw a strange girl sitting next to Anna, stroking her hair and singing a lullaby. Lorenda screamed, but the girl ignored her. Only when the dog, Lulu, began barking did the girl spring up in alarm. The girl ran toward the door, froze, and let out a terrifying scream before vanishing, leaving behind a pool of blood.
5. Bleeder
Rylan was born already affected by his mother’s methamphetamine use and into a family with a history of bipolar disorder. He was adopted by Kim and Ryan, who hoped to offer him a better life. Little did they know, by the time Rylan was seven, he would be swearing profusely and developing an unhealthy obsession with knives.
His adoptive parents appeared on *Dr. Phil*, seeking help for their son, fearing that he would grow up to be a mass murderer or serial killer. During their segment, the parents showed a video in which their son screamed and threatened to kill his mother and another woman while they attempted to calm him during one of his violent outbursts. Another video displayed the young boy reenacting how he would stab his parents if they dared take his “big knives” away.
Rylan has faced challenges since birth, with issues escalating over the years. Before turning two, he would hold his breath until he passed out. At the age of three, he started playing with knives, and when he was six, he cut off his fingertips with a razor blade after his imaginary friend, Bleeder, instructed him to do so. Bleeder, a robot with a sinister name, also told Rylan to kill his family. Dr. Phil gave the standard advice to the parents, but no updates have been provided on Rylan’s behavior since the segment aired.
4. Eric
In January 2013, 19-year-old Logan Fischer bound his girlfriend, placed duct tape over her mouth, and attempted to smother her with a pillow. He also restrained her hands behind her back and tried to strangle her. Thankfully, his girlfriend managed to reason with him when he loosened his grip, allowing her to escape. She then called her uncle, who contacted the police, and fled, meeting them in a parking lot.
Logan tracked her down to the parking lot and was arrested on the spot. During questioning, he told the officers that while his girlfriend was at his home, he started hearing the voice of his childhood imaginary friend, Eric. He claimed that Eric, not he, was responsible for tying up his girlfriend. Logan further stated that Eric also spoke to his girlfriend, urging her to cut him with a knife, though she refused. Naturally, the police didn’t believe this story, and Logan was charged with battery and strangulation.
3. Casey Anthony’s Made-Up Life
In a verdict that stunned the world, Casey Anthony was acquitted of the murder of her two-year-old daughter, Caylee, in 2011, despite significant evidence suggesting her guilt. Instead, she was convicted only on four misdemeanor charges, including providing false information to the police.
However, calling her actions ‘false information’ barely scratches the surface. Casey Anthony had a myriad of imaginary friends and concocted an entire fictional world for them, complete with fabricated events. She initially claimed to have worked at Universal Studios, even taking police there before admitting she had lied.
She also told police of a babysitter, Zenaida (or Zanny), who allegedly had a relationship with her ex-boyfriend. Anthony insisted that Zanny kidnapped Caylee because she considered her an unfit mother. In addition, she fabricated a boyfriend named Jeff Hopkins, who supposedly worked for Nickelodeon, and even created a mother for him, claiming the woman had cancer. Anthony also lied about Caylee’s father, giving the name Eric Baker, but no one in her family had ever met him. Later, she told her mother that Baker had died in an accident.
Despite the web of lies and the inconsistencies in her stories regarding her daughter’s disappearance and death, Casey Anthony walks free.
2. Meme Turned Myth Turned Imaginary Friend
In a case eerily similar to the Laughing Jack story, two 12-year-old girls from Wisconsin invited their friend into the woods in May 2014 after a slumber party. They then brutally stabbed her 19 times, nearly severing an artery close to her heart. Remarkably, the girl survived the attack.
When apprehended, the two girls told authorities that Slender Man had ordered them to kill their friend or else he would kill their families. Slender Man, a tall, faceless figure dressed in a black suit, began as an internet meme, evolved into a creepypasta, and eventually became a twisted imaginary figure for the two girls. They believed they had to carry out the attack to appease this eerie entity.
The girls also convinced themselves that after the murder, Slender Man would take them to his mansion, where he would protect them, appear at will, and even read their thoughts.
1. Laughing Jack
In the realm of urban legends, Laughing Jack is a sinister clown who initially appears as a friendly imaginary companion to children. However, he soon reveals his true nature, cutting them open from head to toe and tearing out their organs, only to fill their empty bodies with candy.
In 2015, a 12-year-old girl from Indiana set her house on fire and then fatally stabbed her stepmother. When questioned by the authorities, she claimed that Laughing Jack had instructed her to carry out the murder. The girl was taken to a medical facility, where it was determined that she had PTSD and dissociative identity disorder. Unable to find care in a private institution, she was transferred to a state-run mental facility. She was deemed unfit to stand trial due to her mental condition.
