Buzz
As one of the earliest internet urban legends, tales of black-eyed children sightings are often linked to a 1996 incident involving Brian Bethel, whose account sparked widespread fascination.
Bethel recounted sitting in his car, sorting through documents, when he heard a knock on his window. Outside stood two boys, approximately 12 years old, requesting a ride to a nearby cinema. What stopped him from agreeing was their eyes—void of life, replaced by dark, hollow voids. Terrified, he drove away swiftly. His story ignited a wave of similar claims across online forums and alternative media platforms.
While many dismiss these accounts as hoaxes or misidentifications, others have delved deeper, uncovering reports that predate Bethel’s by years. Whether these beings are spectral, extraterrestrial, or figments of imagination, the tales remain equally eerie and captivating. Below are 10 such stories. If you hear a knock while reading, you might want to reconsider answering.
10. The Black-Eyed Girl of Cannock ChaseStaffordshire, England
In September 2014, The Daily Star, a tabloid newspaper, featured multiple front-page stories about a black-eyed girl haunting Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, England. Paranormal investigator Lee Brickley looked into the case. He reported that a local woman heard a chilling scream, which she thought came from a child in distress. After rushing to investigate and initially finding no one, she spotted a girl in white standing behind her. The girl had her hands over her eyes, “as if waiting for a birthday cake,” and remained silent.
The woman, accompanied by her young daughter, asked the girl if she was alright. In response, the girl lowered her hands and opened her eyes. “That’s when I saw they were entirely black, no iris, no white, nothing,” the witness recounted to Brickley. “I stepped back, grabbed my daughter, and when I looked again, the girl had vanished. It was incredibly bizarre.”
Brickley also shared that his aunt had encountered the same girl over 30 years prior, in 1982. She had heard a young girl crying for help before spotting a girl in white running away. His aunt caught up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder to check on her. When the girl turned around, her eyes were completely black. She then ran off and disappeared.
In April 2015, a drone video filmed over Cannock Chase surfaced on YouTube. Some viewers claim the footage inadvertently captured a girl in white, matching descriptions of the infamous black-eyed girl.
Medium Christine Hamlett believes she captured a photo of the eerie figure. She also thinks, partly due to her ability to communicate with the spirit world, that the girl is the ghost of a child who died of diphtheria during the Victorian era. Diphtheria can cause eye paralysis, making the eyes appear dark and hollow.
9. Mysterious Figures in a CourtyardFrance, 1974
David Weatherly’s research uncovered a peculiar incident involving black-eyed children in Aisne, France, in 1974. The case, initially explored by Joel Mesnard and Jean Marie Bigorne, centered on two individuals identified only as Alain G. and Patrick V.
While driving through the village, the two men paused their car near a house to maneuver a turn. As they looked into the courtyard, they noticed five enigmatic figures staring at them. Each figure stood approximately 1.3 meters (4 feet) tall, clad in identical long robes, with hair extending to their waists. Most unsettling were their pitch-black eyes, which seemed to lack any discernible features.
The figure nearest to their car motioned for them to enter the courtyard. Overcome with fear, the men quickly drove away. Reports suggest they later returned with others, but the mysterious figures were nowhere to be found.
During interviews with locals, one neighbor confirmed seeing the unusual figures, describing them as children playing in the road.
8. US Marine Answers a Knock at His Door
An unnamed US Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, reported a bizarre encounter with black-eyed children near his barracks in November 2009.
The Marine recounted being alone in his room one night, watching a film, when he heard a knock at the door. Assuming it was his roommate locked out, he opened it without hesitation. To his shock, he found two small children standing outside. Overwhelmed by an immediate sense of terror, he felt an urge to slam the door shut. It was only then he noticed their eyes were completely black.
Despite his fear, the Marine asked the children what they wanted. They replied, staring directly at him, that it was cold outside and they wished to come in and read. Realizing no one else was around, he acted on his instinct and quickly shut the door as they stepped forward. The knocking persisted for several minutes, accompanied by a “rattling” sound from his window, before everything fell silent and the children vanished.
The next morning, the Marine casually asked around, but those present during the incident claimed they hadn’t noticed anything unusual.
7. The Bizarre Story of Kerrie KisnerNorth Carolina
While returning home from Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina, 20-year-old Kerrie Kisner decided to stop at the Triangle Town Center mall. After her visit, she walked back to her car in the parking lot. There, she noticed a peculiar, sickly-looking boy speaking with an older woman. The boy appeared pale, with dark circles around his eyes, and his posture seemed stiff and unnatural.
The elderly woman seemed to be rummaging through her purse, likely looking for something to hand to the boy, who Kerrie guessed was about 12 years old. Suddenly, Kerrie became more aware of the eerie emptiness around her, as the atmosphere grew unsettling. She hurried toward her car, but as she passed the pair, the boy’s gaze locked onto hers. Kerrie couldn’t look away. His eyes were entirely black, like bottomless voids in his face.
She rushed away as fast as possible, while the boy abruptly turned and walked off, leaving the old lady still searching her purse. Kerrie later shared that she felt the boy could somehow read her thoughts and knew exactly what she was thinking about him during their brief encounter.
6. Black-Eyed ‘Ghost’ Captured on CameraLondon
Though she was technically an adult when executed at 21 in 1542, the childlike black-eyed alleged ghost of Catherine Howard is said to frequently appear at Hampton Court Palace.
Recently, 45-year-old Trevor Tyre captured a photo of the dark-eyed apparition kneeling in the gallery, seemingly peering over the railings. Legend has it that after her imprisonment at Hampton Court, Catherine briefly escaped her guards and took this path in a desperate attempt to plead for her life before King Henry VIII.
Tyre, a coach driver, decided to photograph the grand building while waiting for his group. He claimed he didn’t see the black-eyed figure when taking the picture. It was only after returning home that he and a friend noticed the eerie girl in a white gown staring down at them from the image.
Whether it’s Catherine Howard or another black-eyed child, numerous Hampton Court Palace staff have confirmed sightings of the figure over the years.
5. Woman Invites Black-Eyed Children Into Her Home
In January 2016, an online report surfaced from an unnamed woman who not only encountered black-eyed children but also made the grave error of letting them into her home. She later expressed regret, believing the decision would have long-term consequences.
The woman, who lived in Vermont, recounted an incident from a year prior during a blizzard. Late one evening, loud knocking echoed at her front door. Assuming someone might have been in a car accident due to the storm, she went to check. Peering out the window, she saw footprints in the snow leading to her house but no vehicle in sight. Feeling uneasy, she woke her husband. As the knocking persisted, he went to open the door.
On the doorstep stood two children, a boy and a girl, both around eight years old. The woman noted they were poorly dressed for the freezing weather and felt an immediate sense of dread. Despite her instincts, she invited them inside.
As she led the children into the living room, her cats reacted fearfully, with one hissing at them as they passed. She offered to make hot cocoa to warm them up. No matter what she asked, their response was always, “Our parents will be here soon.” When she returned with the drinks, she was horrified to see their eyes replaced by jet-black orbs, devoid of any white or color.
While she stared in shock, the children asked to use the bathroom. Trying to stay composed, she directed them. Moments later, her husband’s nose began to bleed, and the power abruptly went out. As she moved to get him a tissue, she noticed the children standing motionless at the end of the hallway, staring at her.
Breaking the silence, they said, “Our parents are here,” then opened the front door and walked into the night. Strangely, as she went to close the door, she saw the children entering a black car, accompanied by two tall men in suits. They all drove away into the darkness.
In the months that followed, the woman’s husband was diagnosed with an aggressive type of skin cancer. While she didn’t elaborate, she mentioned developing frequent nosebleeds and described her health as the “worst it had ever been.” She firmly believes their ailments are linked to the snowy night they allowed the black-eyed children into their home.
4. Harold’s Encounter with the DevilVirginia, 1950
One of the earliest documented cases of black-eyed children occurred in 1950 in Virginia, involving a 16-year-old boy referred to only as “Harold.”
As the story, researched by David Weatherly, goes, the teenager was walking home one afternoon when he encountered another boy leaning against a fence, seemingly waiting for someone. Harold tried to speak to him but got no reply. Just as he was about to leave, the boy suddenly declared, “I want to go to your house. You’re going to walk me up to your house.”
It was at that moment Harold noticed the boy’s eyes were entirely black, with no whites visible. Before Harold could act on his urge to flee, the boy warned, “Now, don’t you run away from me. You’re going to walk me up to your house.”
Despite the warning, Harold turned and sprinted home faster than ever. He later told his parents he heard a scream behind him—one that eerily resembled the cry of a bobcat.
Interestingly, Harold’s parents believed his story. His father reportedly grabbed his gun and went out to search for the threatening boy, while his mother was convinced her son had met the Devil and insisted on taking him to see the local priest.
3. Nightly Smoke Leads to Bizarre EncounterMassachusetts
Jim Stills enjoyed stepping outside each evening to savor a cigar in the cool night air. However, during one of these moments, he noticed a peculiar young boy walking awkwardly down the street. Night after night, the boy reappeared, and Stills grew increasingly uneasy, eventually abandoning his nightly ritual and staying indoors. From the safety of his home, he observed the boy, who continued to roam the street with a stiff gait, sometimes lingering until dawn.
Over time, Stills’s curiosity about the boy faded, and he forgot about the strange sightings. That changed one evening when he stepped outside for a cigarette and froze. The boy stood directly in front of him, staring with emotionless, completely black eyes.
In a calm but unsettling tone, the boy demanded to be let inside Stills’s home. Terrified, Stills rushed back inside and slammed the door. He resumed his nightly watch but never saw the boy again, though he never dared to go outside after dark from that point on.
2. Mysterious Teenagers in Ohio
An Ohio man, referred to as “Noetic,” shared a bizarre encounter in July 2010 with two black-eyed teenagers outside his workplace, a data center. During a night shift break around 5:00 AM, Noetic was smoking outside when he noticed two teenage boys across the street. He felt an immediate sense of unease as they stood motionless, staring directly at him.
He quickly finished his cigarette and returned inside. About 10 minutes later, the front door intercom buzzed. Checking the monitors, Noetic saw the same two boys. He asked what they wanted, but neither spoke. One gestured for him to come outside. He refused and went back to work.
The boys continued staring into the camera, as if peering directly into the room. After another 10 minutes, Noetic decided to confront them. Before opening the door, he peeked through the one-way glass and noticed their eyes were entirely black. Despite his unease, he opened the door and warned them to leave or he would call the police.
As soon as he opened the door, one boy said, as if reading his mind, “That won’t be necessary, sir. We just need to use your phone. Can you let us in?” Noetic refused, stating no one was allowed inside. The boys repeated their request, staring at him intently. Feeling threatened, Noetic pulled out his phone, reiterated his warning, and shut the door.
From the safety of the monitors, Noetic watched as one boy remained at the door, staring into the camera, while the other moved to the back of the building, doing the same. He called the police, but the boys eventually disappeared into a blind spot on the security cameras. By the time officers arrived around 6:00 AM, the teenagers had vanished without a trace.
1. Black-Eyed Kids Approach Gas StationLouisiana
A chilling account of black-eyed children was shared on Darkness Radio in September 2015, reportedly occurring at a gas station in Northeast Louisiana in November 2012. The isolated gas station, located off the highway, was the only service stop for miles. Around 3:00 AM, the attendant was performing routine tasks when the power suddenly went out, leaving him in complete darkness.
Using his phone as a flashlight, the attendant located the backup generator and activated it. Only the parking lot and the hallway to the register were illuminated, while the rest of the station remained dark.
The area had been experiencing strong winds that night, so the attendant initially assumed the outage was weather-related. However, his calm was shattered when he noticed movement at the edge of the darkness. After a few moments, he discerned three children riding bicycles, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
As soon as he spotted them, two of the children jumped off their bikes and approached the gas station. They halted at the doorway, staring intently at the attendant. Though slightly uneasy, he remained calm and opened the door, asking if they were alright and commenting on how late it was for kids to be out near the highway.
One of the children, a young girl, asked to use his phone. As he handed her his mobile, their eyes met, and he noticed hers were completely black. “No,” she snapped, “I need the real one!” pointing to the landline inside. Fear finally gripped him, and he quickly shut and locked the door, yelling at her to go home.
The children stared at him through the window for a moment before turning away, mounting their bikes, and disappearing into the night. The next morning, the attendant recounted the incident to his boss and asked to review the security footage. Unfortunately, the cameras had been off due to the power outage. Whether the outage was linked to the black-eyed children’s appearance or just a strange coincidence remains unknown.
