1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:05,199 Speaker 1: Introducing The Fountain Road Files, a new horror fiction podcast 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: from Unexplained creator Richard McLean Smith. In March twenty twenty, 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: twenty seven year old cafe worker Ben Williams began recording 4 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: an audio diary of the coronavirus pandemic. Two months later, 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: he was found dead in the South London flat where 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: he was spending lockdown alone, or so he thought. Search 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: the Fountain Road Files wherever you get your podcasts, and 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: for more information go to the Fountain Road Files dot com. 9 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: Some know it as the Crossroads of America, others as 10 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: the home of Hawkins and the gateway to the upside Down. 11 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: But I've only ever known it as Erie. There wasn't 12 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: much that I wanted more as a kid than to 13 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: be Marshall Teller, uprooted from his home in New Jersey 14 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: to live among the freaks and weirdos of Erie, Indiana. 15 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: And by freaks and weirdos, of course, I mean the 16 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: best kind of people. I have no idea what inspired 17 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 1: writers Jose Rivera and Carl Schaffer to use the Hugier 18 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: State as the location for one of the greatest TV 19 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: shows of all time, or what exactly they thought was 20 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: eerie about it, but if the following story is anything 21 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: to go by, it certainly earned its reputation. You're listening 22 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: to one, explained, and I'm Richard McClean smith. The doctor 23 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: asked for the family to be sent in, then sat 24 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: back in his chair as one by one, thirty one 25 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: year old LaToya Ammonds and her three children filed into 26 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: his office, followed by Latoya's mother, Rosa. Doctor on Yuquo 27 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: waited for them to take a seat, then asked what 28 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: the problem was. LaToya took a moment to gather her thoughts. 29 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: It's the demons in our home, she said. They're attacking 30 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: the children. The doctor took a moment to process demons, 31 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: he said, as he pulled out a pad and paper, 32 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: what do you mean exactly? LaToya looked at her mother 33 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: for reassurance, and Rosa nodded for her to continue. It 34 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,399 Speaker 1: had all started a few months before, back in December 35 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: two thou and eleven, shortly after the family had moved 36 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: into a new home. The property, a modest, one story 37 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: rental on Carolina Street, a quiet, leafy suburb on the 38 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: outskirts of Gary, Indiana, was meant to be a fresh start. 39 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: Within days, of moving. However, there were ominous signs. It 40 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: was Rosa who noticed it first, the way the flies 41 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: swarmed all over the screen door as if it were 42 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: rotting meat, despite it being the middle of winter at 43 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: the time, and how despite their rigorous efforts to get 44 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: rid of them, their number never seemed to diminish. Then 45 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: one night, not long after the flies appeared, LaToya had 46 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 1: just put the children to bed when she heard something 47 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: moving above her, like someone pacing about on the ceiling. 48 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: She hadn't thought much of it until a few nights later, 49 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: when she and Rosa heard the basement door creak open 50 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: when no one was near it, despite it being locked. 51 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: From that point on, they continued to hear it open. 52 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: Another time, after Rosa heard the basement door open again, 53 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: she found a series of wet footprints coming away from it, 54 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: as if someone had just walked up into the house. 55 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: Late one evening in March, after a member of their 56 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: extended family had died, a number of friends and family 57 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: were that at the house to mourn. With the children 58 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: in bed, a cry was hurt coming from one of 59 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: the bedrooms, where Latoya's twelve year old daughter and her 60 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: cousin was sleeping. Running to the room, LaToya pushed open 61 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: the door just in time to see her daughter appearing 62 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: to fall from the air onto her bed. Despite being 63 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: fast asleep, the cry had come from the clearly terrified cousin. 64 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: When asked what had happened, she claimed to have seen 65 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: the girl drift up from the bed, hang in the 66 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: air for a moment, and then collapsed back down onto 67 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:46,359 Speaker 1: the mattress. Concerned that something other worldly was happening in 68 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: her home, the deeply religious LaToya turned to the church 69 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: for help. Following the advice of one representative, she cleaned 70 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: her house from top to bottom with ammonia, then used 71 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: a holy oil to draw crosses on each door and 72 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: window frame to keep out any malicious spirits. That night, 73 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: as she put the children to bed, she used the 74 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: same oil to mark a small cross on each of 75 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: their foreheads. But, as LaToya explained to the doctor, the 76 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 1: spirits would not be deterred. One afternoon, LaToya overheard her 77 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: seven year old son talking to someone inside a cupboard. 78 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: When she asked him who he was speaking to, he 79 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: replied simply that it was his friend. He always asked 80 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 1: him to play in the cupboard, he said, but there's 81 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: no one there, said LaToya. You can't see him because 82 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: he's dead, replied her son. It wasn't long after that 83 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: that Latoya's nine year old son began talking in odd 84 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: tones about knowing what death was like, and her daughter 85 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: claimed to be hearing voices telling her she would die 86 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: soon and that she would never see her family again. 87 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: Back in the doctor's office, doctor on Yoku began making 88 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: some notes. Clearly, he wrote, the family were experiencing some 89 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: sort of mass delusion, that there were ghosts in the house, 90 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: or they were hallucinating perhaps, But as he spelled out 91 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: the words, he became aware of a strange gurgling sound. 92 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: Looking up, he realized it was coming from the youngest boy. 93 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: As the gurgle became more of a growl, the boy's 94 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: face began to screw up in anger. In an instant, 95 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: the doctor watched with astonishment as the boy leapt from 96 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: the chair and charged against the wall, almost as if 97 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: something had thrown him across the room, and then he 98 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: collapsed to the floor, unconscious. As LaToya gathered him up 99 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,679 Speaker 1: and cradled him in her arms, the stunt doctor yelled 100 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: for his staff to call nine one one. After being 101 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: rushed to the ear of a nearby hospital. The young 102 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: boy and the rest of the family were thankfully found 103 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: to be in good health. However, with both LaToya and 104 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: her children maintaining that they were under attack from demons, 105 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: a decision was made to call the Department of Child 106 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: Services for help. It had just gone eight forty five 107 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: pm when DCS case manager Valerie Washington arrived at the 108 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: North Lake campus of Methodist Hospitals. After being debriefed by 109 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: the medical staff, she was led into a consultation room 110 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: to speak with LaToya and Rosa, while the children were 111 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: kept in a separate room next door. No sooner had 112 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: LaToya started telling Valerie what had been happening, they heard 113 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: that strange growling sound again coming from the adjacent room 114 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: than her oldest son screamed for help. The women ran 115 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: next door, shocked to find Latoya's youngest with his nine 116 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: year old brother in a headlock. Valerie gasped at the 117 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: sight of his eyes rolled back into his head and 118 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: his teeth bared as he held tight to his brother's neck, 119 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: choking him. It took five members of staff to finally 120 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: pry him away. With his eyes still rolled back in 121 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: his head. The boy started shaking and was placed on 122 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: a bed. When he finally settled down, he claimed to 123 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: have no recollection of what he'd done. Later, with all 124 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: the family gathered together, Valerie is joined by nurse Willie 125 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: Lee Walker and a psychologist to deliver the painful news. 126 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: Given the evident disruption occurring at the home, Valerie had 127 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: little option but to recommend that the children be placed 128 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: elsewhere for the time being. But just as she was 129 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: about to go into further details, Latoya's youngest began to 130 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: growl again, fixing his brother with an uncompromising stare. The 131 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: others watched with alarm as his mouth broke into a strange, 132 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 1: wide smile, before he then ran head first into his 133 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: grandmother stomach. Again and again, he butted into her, his 134 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: teeth clenched tightly together until Rosa grabbed his hands and 135 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: began to pray loudly over him. It's time to die, 136 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: he said, as he wrestled to get free. Then all 137 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: of a sudden, the boy stopped, walked steadily backwards and 138 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: up the wall. The others could only watch with utter 139 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: confusion as he continued moving up toward the ceiling, until 140 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: eventually he flipped over his grandmother and landed back on 141 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: his feet. Valerie bolted from the room in terror. Later, 142 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: when police asked her to go over exactly what had happened, 143 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: the best way she could describe it was that the 144 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: boy had glided up the wall. That night at the Ya, 145 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: LaToya and her youngest child were kept in for observation 146 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: while Rosa took the other two home. The following day, 147 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: they returned to the hospital, where case manager Valerie Washington 148 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: broke the painful news to LaToya that she would be 149 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: officially separated from her children pending a formal investigation. Though 150 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: she didn't express it explicitly in her report, Valerie had 151 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: come to believe that the family really were suffering at 152 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: the hands of a genuine evil. When the hospital chaplain 153 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: then heard about the peculiar events of the previous night, 154 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: he too came to the same conclusion. That afternoon, he 155 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: contacted local reverend Michael Machineau to ask if he'd be 156 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: willing to conduct an exorcism on the family. Father Machineau 157 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: agreed to help, but only if the family contacted him directly. 158 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: They called him the next day and made arrangements to 159 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: meet at the Carolina Street property. A day later, Machineau 160 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: arrived at the house to find LaToya and Rosa waiting 161 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: anxious outside. Neither had been back since their visit to 162 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: the hospital. Reassured by Machineau's presence, however, they made their 163 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: way inside and invited him to take a seat with 164 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: them in the living room. Over the next few hours, 165 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: they told him about everything that had happened, from the 166 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: abundance of flies in winter, toward the times that they'd 167 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 1: heard strange noises coming from behind the basement door, to 168 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,319 Speaker 1: the time LaToya caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure 169 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: watching her from inside her closet. They had stayed in 170 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: a hotel that night. Just then, the bathroom light began 171 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: to flicker, but when Machineau walked over to investigate, the 172 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: flickering abruptly stopped. Perhaps the demons are afraid of me, 173 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: he wandered out loud. Returning to the sofa, Machineau was 174 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: just about to speak again when Rosa interrupted. Look, she said, 175 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: pointing to the blinds. They were swaying, but there was 176 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: no breeze inside. After four hours of conversation, LaToya complained 177 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: of a headache. Taking a crucifix from his bag, father 178 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: Machineau placed it on her head, and she began to 179 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: convulse violently, and when he pulled it away, she returned 180 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: to her usual self. It was just as he'd suspected, 181 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: LaToya was possessed. Machineau finished by sprinkling holy water in 182 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,559 Speaker 1: each room and made arrangements to get back in touch 183 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 1: with La Toya to make a plan for the exorcism. 184 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: In the meantime, he suggested they move out permanently. A 185 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: few days after father Machineau's visit, DCS case manager Valerie 186 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: Washington made her routine visit to the house. The official 187 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: purpose was to assess the family's living standards, in which 188 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: she was assisted by Captain Charles Austen from local law enforcement. However, 189 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: with rumors about the apparent demon house beginning to circulate, 190 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 1: two other officers tagged along out of curiosity. LaToya and 191 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: Rosa met them outside, but with LaToya too angry after 192 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: having her children taken away from her, it was left 193 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: to Rosa to show them around. An anxious hush came 194 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: over the group as they cautiously made their way through 195 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: the screen door and into the property. Footsteps cracked and 196 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: creaked across the hardwood floor as Valerie made her inspection 197 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: of the three bedrooms, bathroom, and open kitchen, glad to 198 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: find it all in good condition. Finally they arrived at 199 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: the basement door. Rosa led them down. Woe, said one 200 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: of the officers, when he caught sight of the peculiar 201 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 1: table arrangement in the corner. That's just the altar, explained Rosa, 202 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: comprised of a white sheet over a table with a 203 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: single candle and a small statue of the Holy Family 204 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: on top. They'd been advised to construct it by a 205 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: local self described clairvoyant when the strange events started happening. 206 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: An open Bible and a burned stick of sage had 207 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: also been placed on top of it. And that's where 208 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: we think the demons are coming from. Rosa pointed to 209 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: a large spot under the stairs where the basement's concrete 210 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: floor appeared to have been smashed open, almost as if 211 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: something had erupted out of it from out of the 212 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: black earth that was now visible from underneath. One of 213 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: the officers pulled out a video camera to film it, 214 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: but when he went to press record, he found the 215 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: battery light blinking on and off. The batteries were dead, 216 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: despite being brand new that morning. Luckily, they had a 217 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: spare device on hand. Rosa pointed out the various circles 218 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: of salt they put on the ground toward off the 219 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: malicious spirits as the officer made a quick sweep with 220 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: the camera. Satisfied they'd seen everything, the group returned upstairs, 221 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: relieved that it was over. Valerie and the officers thanked 222 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: Rosa for her time and headed on their separate ways. 223 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 1: Back in his patrol car, Captain Austin reached for the 224 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: radio receiver when a violent blast of static burst out 225 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: at the speakers were there. Austin drew back in shock. 226 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: What the hell was that? Came the dispatched voice from 227 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: the other end. No idea, replied the captain. Later, when 228 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: the officers watched the recording of their visit, they were 229 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: convinced they heard a voice that didn't belong to anyone 230 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: in the room at the time, and when they examined 231 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: photos they took of the front of the property, they 232 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: noticed something peculiar that seemed to be staring out at 233 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: them from a window, something with unusually large eyes and 234 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: a gaping mouth. It looked as if it were screaming. 235 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: Under further psychological examinations, Latoya's children spoke of shadow figures 236 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: that roamed their home, and how the children would sometimes 237 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: go into trances. They spoke of doors slamming unaided, and 238 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: objects being moved around without anybody touching them. It was 239 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: also discovered, however, that the children had been regularly missing 240 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: school since two thousand and nine. Despite Latoya's protests that 241 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: this had only happened recently because the unusual events had 242 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: kept them awake all night, the DCS investigation concluded that 243 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: she was in neglect of her duties as a parent. 244 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: As a result, a temporary wardship was awarded to the 245 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: state and her children were placed in care, with LaToya 246 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: and Rosa now living with family in Indianapolis. Father Magineau 247 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: took the opportunity to conduct a blessing on the house, 248 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: joining a second DCS visit on May tenth. He conducted 249 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: the ritual in front of two police officers and Samantha 250 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: Ilitch from Children's Services. As the reverend conducted the blessing, 251 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: flicking droplets of holy water into the furthest corners of 252 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: the house, Ilitch made her way into the living room 253 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: when she began to feel a sudden surge of pain 254 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: in her little finger. It was as if something were 255 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: breaking it from the inside. Then a tightness began to 256 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: take hold in her chest. With a growing sense that 257 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: the walls were beginning to close in and all light 258 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: was diminishing, she ran for the door and burst into 259 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: the street, gasping for air as if she had just 260 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 1: broken the surface from out of water. After suffering a 261 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: string of medical problems in the following weeks, including broken 262 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: bones and burns from a motorbike crash, many of Ilich's 263 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: friends were left wandering if something of the house ended 264 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 1: up attaching itself to her. A few days later, Father 265 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: Magineau received permission from the local bishop to conduct the 266 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: exorcism on LaToya. One morning in June, LaToya arrived at 267 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: the designated church in Merylville to begin the ritual with 268 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: Father Magineau. They were joined by the two police officers 269 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: who'd assisted in the original house investigation, and one other 270 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: parishioner in case LaToya needed restraining during the procedure. Throughout 271 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: that morning, Magineau railed at the demons he was convinced 272 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: were hiding in Latoya's body. I cast you out, unclean spirit, 273 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: he shouted, along with every satanic power of the enemy. 274 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: Every specter from Hell and all your fell companions in 275 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. With his voice 276 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: rising in volume, he pressed a crucifix against her head, 277 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: and her body volst wildly. And so the session continued, 278 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: with Latoya's energy seeming to ebb and flow as the 279 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: day went on. By the end of that day, sensing 280 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 1: they'd made progress, Father Magineau gave LaToya a set of 281 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: rosary beads to take home. Later that afternoon, after she'd left, However, 282 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: Magineau found the beads ripped apart and abandoned in the 283 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: parking lot. For the second exorcism session, Magineau decided that 284 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: they'd need the names of the demons that they were 285 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 1: really going to make it work. He suggested to LaToya 286 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: that she look up the names on the internet, telling 287 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 1: her that she would know them when she saw them, 288 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: but when she tried to do it, her computer kept 289 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: shutting down inexplicably. Instead, Magineau brought his own list of 290 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 1: possibilities to the next session and had LaToya point out 291 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,719 Speaker 1: the one she believed were responsible. Armed with two names, 292 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: Magineau conducted the right for a time. This time, LaToya 293 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,479 Speaker 1: convulsed and cried out in pain whenever the names were 294 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,879 Speaker 1: shouted out, until finally it seemed she was too weak 295 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: to carry on and fell asleep. After the second session, 296 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: Father Machineau went on a retreat to prepare for the 297 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: next one, leaving a backup plan with an assistant in 298 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: case there were any problems. While he was gone, a 299 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: piece of paper with the long name of a demon 300 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 1: written on it that was then tucked into an envelope 301 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: and surrounded with blessed salt. The assistant was to burn 302 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 1: it if LaToya was in distress. Not long after the 303 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: reverend left, LaToya called the assistant, complaining that she was 304 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: suffering from terrible nightmares. The envelope was promptly burned, and 305 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: the nightmares apparently ended. With Machineau returning soon after, they 306 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: conducted the third and final exorcism, this time in Latin. 307 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: Machineau claimed later that although LaToya didn't understand the Latin, 308 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: she remained quiet during the moments that God was praised, 309 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: but convulsed violently during the condemnations. When the ritual was finished, 310 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:21,679 Speaker 1: LaToya fell asleep, exhausted. When she finally woke, she claimed 311 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 1: the demons were gone. That night, after LaToya had driven 312 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: back home to Indianapolis. A storm ripped through the local area, 313 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: knocking the power out for twenty four hours, with local 314 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: news getting wind at the incredible story. Though the family 315 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: were no longer living there, the house on Carolina Street 316 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: became somewhat of a curio, with local police often even 317 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: stopping by to take a look. Landlord Charles Read was 318 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: eventually forced to demand that the police stopped coming because 319 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: they were scaring the lieutenant. He told the press that 320 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: there had been no plus before or after LaToya and 321 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: her family stayed there. After having her children removed from her, 322 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 1: LaToya was given a strict set of guidelines to follow 323 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: in order to prove that she was capable of looking 324 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: after them, which included the requests that she attend therapy sessions, 325 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: that she no longer discussed the notion of demons, and 326 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: an insistence that she work on different ways to discipline 327 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: her children that weren't directly related to religion or the 328 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: notion of demonic possession. In November two and twelve, having 329 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: successfully demonstrated her commitment to the guidelines, Latoya's children were 330 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: returned to her. She later said it was the happiest 331 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:47,919 Speaker 1: day of her life. The Department of Child's Services closed 332 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 1: the case in February two thirteen, stating that there had 333 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: been no demonic presences or spirits in the home. LaToya, however, 334 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: remained convinced it wasn't the psychologists that helped, but God. 335 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: When you hear something like this, don't assume it's not real. 336 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: Because I've lived it, she said, I know it's real. 337 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: If you enjoy Unexplained and would like to help supporters, 338 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: you can now do so via Patreon. 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