Scary Things Kids Say

Real 'Annabelle' story shared by Lorraine Warren

This story may be a little off, but this is basically what happened.

MILFORD >> On the night Hollywood released the horror movie, "Annabelle," a sell-out audience at Lauralton Hall was spellbound, hearing about the real Annabelle — a demonic doll — from paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, who cracked the real-life case, along with her late husband, Ed Warren.

The real Annabelle doll lives in a locked box at Warren's Occult Museum at her Monroe home.

The doll in the movie is a frightening looking porcelain doll in a child's image, with long hair and the real Annabelle — the one in Warren's museum — is a plain-looking classic Raggedy Ann doll with red yarn for hair.

But the Raggedy Ann at the Warren's Museum is no ordinary doll. According to the Warrens, it is inhabited by an "inhuman spirit," and there is a warning on the glass case not to touch.

One museum-goer who ignored the warnings and taunted the doll, died in a motorcycle crash shortly after being told to leave the museum.

The movie is a prequel to "The Conjuring," based on the Warren's real-life case involving the doll. The couple had a lot of input in the first movie, but "Annabelle," is fabricated.

Warren, who mostly along with her late husband, has investigated more than 10,000 cases of paranormal activity, presented the talk and slide show of cases at the Catholic girls' high school with the help of her son-in-law Tony Spera, also a paranormal investigator.

Warren, now 87, soft spoken and sweet to all those who engaged her in conversation at a meet and greet, said presenting at Lauralton was like "going home," because she attended the school in the late 1930s, but had to leave because of illness.

Warren said her presentations are in extra demand during September and October because fascination with the subject is heightened during, "Hallow's Eve," as she calls it.

A Roman Catholic, Warren now and in the early career with her husband, often works with priests and other clergy because they rely on blessings and sometimes exorcism to resolve a case.

She said the power of faith has gotten her out of many scary situations because it's often about fighting the demonic with goodness. Holy water is a tool.

Warren said her Catholic faith is both her protection and her drive.

Warren began by telling the audience that ever since the age of "7 or 8" she saw lights or auras around people, but was afraid to tell her parents, for fear they would think she was, "crazy." She spent many years praying about it because, "I didn't want to be different," she said.

Warren recalled a story from her Lauralton days. She had a favorite teacher, a nun who taught French, and once told her, referring to her aura, "Your lights are brighter than Mother Superior's."

Warren said she was told to go to the chapel and "pray about it," and it will go away. Her Lauralton audience, many with no connection to the school, but there as Warren fans, roared with laughter.

At first she didn't even tell Ed Warren, whom she met at 16 about her abilities. But later he would tell her, "You are different."

Ed, a self-taught "demonologist" — an interest he developed after growing up in a house he said was haunted — and Lorraine, would pool their talents and go on to become world-famous paranormal investigators. Her career has spanned 65 years.

The Warrens have done jobs throughout the United States and in faraway places that Japan, England, Scotland, France, Australia. The couple charged only travel expenses — nothing for the actual investigating — but built an empire on books, movie work and lectures about their cases. In 1952, Ed Warren founded the New England  Society for Psychic Research. Their investigations often included other professionals, including nurses, doctors, police officers, researchers.