A woman in the United Kingdom recently purchased what's been called "UK's most haunted doll" - and she says she instantly regrets it. According to the New York Post, paranormal hunter and haunted doll collector Candice Collins bought the creepy doll for $260 despite the stories attached to it. She now says she's had issues ever since picking up the spooky item, which apparently brought "lots of pain" to her family.
"Norman", a demonic, baby-faced child's doll, went viral last year when its previous owner, Christian Hawksworth, put it up for sale after experiencing a string of bad luck that he attributed to the toy. According to the Post, Mr Hawksworth claimed that after he bought the doll for about $4 from an antique store, he suffered an exploding appendix, got shot, had car trouble and saw his salary severely slashed. After having enough, he then listed the toy on eBay and Candice Collins became intrigued despite the warnings.
Ms Collins received the creepy doll in June 2023 and she says she has been haunted ever since, claiming the terrifying toy even speaks to her young child. "As soon as I opened the box, the room went freezing cold, and a heavy depression filled the air," Ms Collins said, adding, "I knew then there was definitely something attached to this doll."
Concerned, the 42-year-old then put the doll in a glass box with some holy water. "Since then, I've worked with Norman a few times, but that same feeling comes washing over me. It fills my bones with dread," she said.
Ms Collins claimed that she started having nightmares where she wakes up in a panic, feeling as if she's being attacked by an "unseen figure". She also said she has felt her hand be bitten during the night and has "heard an evil voice calling my name in my sleep".
What's more, the 42-year-old also claimed that she heard her 3-year-old son speaking with the toy. "I can hear my little boy talking to someone. He also starts laughing, which is very strange," she said.
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Similar to the previous owner, Ms Collins also claimed that her health has taken a turn for the worse since welcoming the haunted doll into her home. "I have arthritis, headaches and also random bruises that come up on my body for no reason. I've got a scratch on my back that looks like deep claw marks, too. My partner, Nick, needs a hip replacement, as that has taken a turn for the worse," she said, per the Post.
"It just feels like never-ending bad luck. I don't know if it's a result of this demonic doll," she continued.
However, despite the eeriness of the doll, Ms Collins said she has no plans to get rid of Norman anytime soon. "I really do think he's the most possessed doll in the UK - maybe the world," she said.
"To be able to inflict such pain and accidents as he has done really makes you wonder how far he will go. I do all of what is needed to protect (my family). I use sage, crystals, holy water - anything I can," she said, noting that Norman should not be trusted around children.
"I want to prove that there is life after death and that not all objects are evil, some just need help. But I've got to keep my wits about me, as I don't know what could happen next," she added.
