Robert the Doll

In 1896, the rich Otto family in Florida was celebrating the birthday of their son Robert who was turning 4. One of the servants got him a gift, a large doll in a sailor suit, who was cursed. Robert named his doll Robert too and no one thought anything of it until weird stuff started happening.

People reported seeing Robert talking to the doll in dark rooms, giggling hysterically and often, it’d be accompanied by a deep baritone voice. Any time anything went missing or was smashed, the doll was blamed. Eventually, Robert the Doll was placed in the attic, where he was seen moving from window to window.

When a new family bought the house in 1976, the first person to find the doll ended up fainting with fright, saying that the doll spoke to her and told her it was going to kill her. It was then donated to a Florida museum, behind a glass window. Signs ask that before photographing, one should ask Robert for permission. There are also letters attached to the glass from people who didn’t ask, and are now requesting to be released from the curse.

I’m sure someone asked him for this picture, right?