May 25, 2025: Panic swept across social media platforms this week after viral rumors claimed the infamous haunted Annabelle doll had mysteriously vanished during a ghost tour in Louisiana. The eerie speculation was further fueled by a fire that broke out at the historic Nottoway Plantation, sparking wild theories and supernatural suspicion.
The Annabelle doll, a vintage Raggedy Ann figure housed in the Warrens’ Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, is infamous for its alleged demonic attachments, as chronicled by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The doll has been immortalized in pop culture through The Conjuring franchise and has long held a reputation for being “dangerous” and kept in a blessed glass case to contain its supposed evil energy.
As screenshots and posts surged on X (formerly Twitter), users questioned whether the doll had somehow been relocated to Louisiana or escaped altogether. One viral post read, “THEY LOST THE ANNABELLE DOLL?? LIKE?? THE HAUNTED ANNABELLE DOLL??” — echoing the collective anxiety that quickly took over the internet.
To quell the growing hysteria, the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) — the organization founded by the Warrens — issued an official response. Senior NESPR member Dan Rivera posted a video tour of the museum, showing Annabelle still safely enclosed in her protective case.
“She is NOT lost,” Rivera confirmed. “Annabelle is home safe within the museum in Connecticut… for now.”
The viral fire at the Nottoway Plantation, one of the South’s most iconic historic estates, was also ruled completely unrelated. Local authorities investigating the blaze clarified that there is no evidence linking the fire to any paranormal occurrence or to the Annabelle doll. Investigators believe the cause to be accidental and continue to examine the scene.
Though the incident may have temporarily rattled believers of the paranormal, officials and experts alike have debunked any real-world mystery. For now, the Annabelle doll remains locked up — and the horror stays safely on screen.