Annabelle the Haunted Doll

She looks innocent—a vintage Raggedy Ann doll. But according to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, Annabelle is one of the most dangerous haunted objects in the world.

The Origin Story

In 1970, a nursing student named Donna received the doll as a birthday gift:

• Her mother bought it from an antique store
• Donna and her roommate Angie noticed it moving
• First small movements—position changes
• Then appearing in different rooms
• Notes appeared written on parchment (they didn’t own parchment)

The notes said things like “Help us” and “Help Lou” (Angie’s boyfriend).

The Medium

The roommates consulted a medium who told them:

• The spirit of a girl named Annabelle Higgins inhabited the doll
• She had died on the property at age 7
• She felt comfortable with Donna and Angie
• She wanted to stay with them

Feeling sympathy, they gave the spirit permission to inhabit the doll.

The Violence

Lou, Angie’s boyfriend, had always disliked the doll. One night:

• He dreamed Annabelle was strangling him
• He woke with claw marks on his chest
• Seven distinct scratches, bleeding
• They burned with intense pain

The Warrens’ Investigation

Ed and Lorraine Warren were called in:

• They determined it wasn’t a ghost—it was a demon
• Demons cannot possess objects, only manipulate them
• The entity wanted to possess a human
• The “Annabelle” story was a ruse to gain trust

The Exorcism and Transfer

Father Cooke blessed the apartment and the doll. As Ed Warren drove Annabelle home:

• The car’s power steering failed
• Brakes malfunctioned
• He sprinkled holy water on the doll
• Problems stopped

The Occult Museum

Annabelle now resides in the Warrens’ Occult Museum:

• Enclosed in a glass case
• Blessed regularly by a priest
• Warning sign: “Positively Do Not Open”
• Ed Warren claimed a visitor who mocked the doll died in a motorcycle accident hours later

The Films

Annabelle spawned a film franchise:

• “Annabelle” (2014)
• “Annabelle: Creation” (2017)
• “Annabelle Comes Home” (2019)
• Also appears in “The Conjuring” series

The films use a creepier porcelain doll; the real Annabelle is a Raggedy Ann.

Skepticism

Critics note:

• Only the Warrens’ word documents the case
• No independent verification
• The Warrens had financial incentive
• The original witnesses’ accounts aren’t available

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Whether demonic or merely creepy, Annabelle remains locked away—just in case.