It may look like any other ordinary doll but it's not. It has gained notoriety for all the wrong reasons. Meet the world's "most haunted doll", reportedly possessed by the spirit of a jilted bride -- Elizabeth. It is said to have attacked 17 men so far and is currently at the Haunted Objects Museum in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Lee Steer, a 37-year-old paranormal investigator, became the owner of the doll for £866 (Rs 95,100) on eBay after learning of its purported hostility towards men.
Ms Steer claimed the doll had attacked men, leaving some with physical injuries, the New York Post reported. He's been among those at the receiving end of the doll's hostility. In contrast, Elizabeth doesn't harm any women around her.
Lee Steer experienced a burning sensation on his neck during an investigation in the museum's bridal doll room along with his 32-year-old partner, Sarah Carter. Later, he also discovered scratches on his back, which resembled a pentagram. "It seems like the doll has a hatred towards men. There have been well over 15 people who have come to me to say they have been scratched. It is all men and never a woman that it has attacked," Mr Steer told The NY Post. Sarah has been avoiding the bridal doll room due to her discomfort with its presence.
Besides physical attacks on men, Mr Steer revealed that the haunted doll also set off fire alarms, moved objects around the room, threw a perfume bottle across the room, and performed many other activities. During one paranormal investigation, he mentioned Elizabeth caused electronic interference in video footage, and the words 'bride' and 'haunting' mysteriously appeared repeatedly.
Another 34-year-old paranormal investigator, Jon-Paul Kenny, experienced a similar encounter with the doll while filming a live TikTok session in the museum. Mr Kenny recalled, "I felt someone grab my shirt, and my skin was touched. It was 100% the bridal doll that did this to me. I wasn't scared, but it put me on edge."
"Acting out of jealousy"
According to a report in The Daily Star, Mr Steer said the spirit within the doll might be acting out of jealousy, as the museum recently acquired a famous artefact from the horror film series The Conjuring, which features a possessed doll named 'Annabelle'.
He explained, "Why she (Elizabeth) is doing it is a mystery. Some people think she was treated badly by a man and some think her wedding went wrong so this is why she haunts a bridal doll."
Mr Steer added that the doll's behaviour could also stem from the fact that "Elizabeth has always been the centre of attention in the museum" and she's feeling a bit of jealousy.
"We've got famous items from The Conjuring now and maybe she is feeling a bit forgotten so she is making herself known in the most extreme way. I suspect it to be the most haunted doll," he concluded.