Buzz
In recent years, eerie dolls have regained popularity in cinema, with notable appearances in films such as The Boy, Annabelle, and the latest addition to the Child’s Play series, titled Cult of Chucky.
For generations, the idea of lifeless objects springing to life has terrified audiences. As the old adage suggests, every fictional story holds a grain of truth. The individuals featured here share their own chilling experiences with unsettling dolls. So, remove your porcelain doll from its display, reposition your plush toys, and continue reading . . .
10. The Painting's Enigmatic Doll
Disturbing paintings are unsettling on their own (consider The Crying Boy and The Anguished Man), but combine one with a sinister doll and a spine-chilling backstory, and you’ve got the makings of a horror tale.
In 1972, artist William Stoneham, facing a gallery deadline, drew inspiration from a poem written by his wife to create his next piece. This resulted in the eerie artwork titled The Hands Resist Him. Intended to reflect Stoneham’s childhood with his adoptive parents, the painting instead unnerved viewers. It depicts a boy standing before a window, accompanied by a doll with hollow, lifeless eyes. Adding to the unsettling atmosphere, numerous small hands press against the glass behind them.
The painting was purchased by actor John Marley at an event organized by Charles Feingarten, with art critic Henry Seldis also in attendance. All three men died within three years of each other, leading some to attribute their deaths to the painting’s supposed malevolence.
The artwork gained renewed attention in 2000 when its owners listed it for sale on eBay. The listing included a story straight out of a horror movie. The owners claimed to have installed a motion-activated camera in the room where the painting hung after their four-year-old daughter reported seeing the boy and doll arguing and entering her room at night. The camera allegedly captured the boy exiting the painting “under threat.” The sellers also sought help in cleansing their home after the painting’s removal.
9. Annabelle
In 2016, Natalie Mellon, a 33-year-old from Glasgow, received a century-old doll discovered in her father-in-law’s friend’s attic. A fan of antiques, Mellon found the doll somewhat unsettling but cherished it nonetheless, naming it Annabelle as a playful nod to its eerie vibe. However, the humor faded quickly when strange occurrences began in her home.
One night, a friend staying over heard tapping sounds outside the bedroom. The next morning, Annabelle was found just outside the door. When questioned, Mellon denied moving the doll, stating she was asleep during the incident. Mellon’s four dogs avoid any room where Annabelle is placed. During a video selfie, Mellon claimed a knife flew off a shelf and a cupboard door swung open on its own. This prompted her to relocate Annabelle to the shed, where she remains.
8. Autauga County Swamp Dolls
In 2014, authorities stumbled upon a bizarre and eerie scene in an Alabama swamp. Someone had placed 21 dolls, predominantly antique porcelain, on bamboo stakes, arranging them upright in the murky waters. The land, owned by a timber company, yielded no response when officials attempted to contact them about the discovery. Despite efforts, the police were unable to identify those responsible.
Bear Creek Swamp has long been notorious for its chilling reputation, even before the unsettling doll display was found. Visitors have recounted hearing disembodied voices, spotting mysterious orbs, and encountering unidentified creatures. Local lore suggests the swamp is haunted by a mother eternally searching for her missing child. Some even claim a nearby spring possesses magical properties, capable of granting powers to those who encounter it.
7. Sarita
In 2017, a Peruvian family shared a chilling story involving a doll on YouTube. Ivonne Nunez received the doll, named Sarita, from her niece seven years prior. After her niece’s passing, Ivonne kept the doll as a memento. Sarita, with her blond hair and blue eyes, plays “Our Father” when a button on her chest is pressed. However, the recording began playing on its own, with no one touching the doll.
Additionally, the family often woke to find Sarita had shifted from her corner overnight. The three siblings in the house would mysteriously wake up covered in scratches and bruises. Angie, the eldest daughter, insisted the doll would stare at her from the corner of the room at night. While Angie and her brothers wanted the doll removed, their mother hesitated, as Sarita reminded her of her late niece and sister-in-law, who had died by suicide. Instead, she sought the help of an angelologist to purify their home. The effectiveness of the cleansing remains unknown.
6. Harold
In 2003, a man browsing a flea market noticed an elderly man with an antique male doll. Captivated by its appearance, he insisted on purchasing Harold. The old man hesitated but eventually sold the doll for $20. As the buyer walked away, the old man chased after him, insisting on explaining the doll’s history.
The old man revealed that the doll had been a gift to his son, who died shortly after receiving it. After his son’s death, he left Harold in the boy’s room and later heard singing and laughter emanating from the empty space. He also claimed attempts to burn the doll were futile, as it refused to catch fire.
Despite the warnings, Harold’s new owner took the doll home. Two days later, he began experiencing severe migraines, his cat died unexpectedly, and he started hearing unexplained voices and laughter, just as the old man had described. The man created a website documenting the bizarre occurrences since Harold’s arrival. To stay cautious, Harold is now locked inside a suitcase.
5. Victorian Doll
Debbie and Cameron Merrick gained sudden fame after Debbie bought three Victorian dolls for £5. Upon receiving the box, they noticed a peculiar “swishing” sound emanating from it. Unconcerned, they placed the dolls in their home.
Soon after, their fire alarm began triggering inexplicably, and Cameron started waking up with small scratches on his leg. One doll’s necklace vanished without explanation, leading the Merricks to suspect it was possessed. Appearing on the TV show This Morning, they shared their experiences while the doll sat in a rocking chair beside them. To everyone’s shock, the chair began rocking on its own during the live TV broadcast.
Following this, paranormal investigator Lee Steer purchased the doll from the Merricks. He, too, encountered odd phenomena: lights flickered, portraits swung on walls, and his father developed unexplained scratches on his arm. While many viewers of the show and followers of Steer’s story remain skeptical, Steer insists the doll used a random word app to reveal her name as Samantha and express her dislike for men.
4. Peggy
In 2015, paranormal investigator Jayne Harris was given a doll by a couple who believed it was the source of their bad dreams. After consulting a priest failed to improve their situation, they decided to part ways with the doll entirely.
Harris brought several mediums to her home to examine Peggy, the doll in question. They reportedly concluded that Peggy was inhabited by a troubled spirit. Beyond this, the doll allegedly caused physical symptoms such as nausea, headaches, and even chest pains in those nearby.
Mediums suggest that Peggy is linked to the spirit of a woman associated with the Holocaust, who suffered from chest and respiratory issues before her death. Additionally, individuals viewing photos or videos of Peggy online have reported experiencing anxiety attacks and physical discomfort.
3. Soul-Optional Thai Dolls
In 2015, Thailand witnessed a unique trend where residents purchased lifelike, eerie dolls and treated them as if they were actual children. Known as luk thep, or “child angels,” these dolls were often taken to monks for blessings and to invite souls to reside within them.
The trend grew so popular that Thai Smile Airways began offering airplane seats for the dolls (at a cost) and even provided them with drinks and snacks. Restaurants also joined in, offering discounted meals for the dolls at children’s rates.
The dolls became integral to families, often regarded as siblings to real children. Owners spared no expense, purchasing lavish gifts and jewelry for them. The craze was fueled by a desire for good fortune and financial stability during a period of economic instability. Authorities eventually intervened, cautioning people against overspending on these dolls if they couldn’t afford them.
2. Blindfolded Doll
In 2014, a peculiar discovery in Singapore quickly spread across Reddit and the rest of the Internet. Locals found a doll with a blindfold leaning against a tree. The blindfold bore Arabic text reading bismillah, sparking rumors that the doll was cursed and would bring misfortune to anyone who removed its blindfold.
Reports suggest the doll’s owner claimed it moved on its own when she was away and would speak in Malay while turning its head when left alone. Terrified, the owner blindfolded the doll and abandoned it near a tree far from her home to prevent it from returning.
The doll later vanished from its spot by the tree and has not been seen since.
1. Ruby
Ruby’s story is more sorrowful than frightening. She was once the cherished doll of a young girl who fell gravely ill and passed away with Ruby in her arms. Over the years, Ruby was handed down through the girl’s family, often stored away in basements due to her unsettling appearance. Family members reported that Ruby would move on her own, emit strange sounds, and, like Peggy, cause nausea and headaches.
Ruby eventually found her way to the Traveling Museum of the Paranormal and the Occult, where even more peculiar occurrences began. Nearly half of the museum’s visitors would instinctively cradle and comfort Ruby as if she were a crying baby, only to be shocked when they realized what they were doing. One visitor even discovered a photo of Ruby on her phone, despite never taking any photos of the doll. Many believe the spirit of the little girl remains tied to Ruby, using the doll to make her presence known.
