HAUNTED: The Gary, Indiana Demon House

Summary

So Supernatural: HAUNTED - The Gary, Indiana Demon House

Episode Overview Released on November 15, 2024, the "So Supernatural" podcast, hosted by Yvette and Chuck from Crime House, delves into the chilling tale of the Gary, Indiana Demon House. This episode explores the harrowing experiences of the Ammons family, alleged supernatural occurrences, and the ensuing investigations that blur the lines between reality and the paranormal.

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Introduction

The episode opens with Yvette and Chuck introducing the unsettling premise of the Ammons family's experiences in their new home. They set the stage by referencing classic possession-themed horror movies like The Exorcist and The Conjuring, establishing a foundation for the real-life events to be discussed.

Notable Quote:

• "Stories like this don't just appear out of thin air. Almost since the dawn of time, people have spoken about demonic possession."
  — Ashley Flowers [00:02]

The Ammons Family Moves In

Latoya Ammons, a single mother in her 30s, relocates with her three children—Casey (12), Jackson (9), and Noah (7)—and Latoya's mother, Rosa Campbell, to a rental house at 3860 Carolina Street in Gary, Indiana. Initially, the family encounters minor issues typical of a new home, such as low water pressure and squeaky doors. However, unusual disturbances soon escalate.

Key Events:

• Strange Insects and Noises: The family battles an inexplicable swarm of large black flies and hears persistent footsteps in the basement, leading Rosa to discover a large muddy boot print inside the house.

Notable Quote:

• "Rosa keeps swearing she can hear footsteps in the basement. But when she goes to investigate, she doesn't see anything unusual."
  — Yvette [06:58]

Supernatural Escalation

Five months into their residency, the Ammons family's encounters intensify both in frequency and severity. Physical manifestations of the hauntings begin to surface, including:

• Levitation and Possession: Casey is found floating above her bed, Jackson is violently thrown across rooms, and Noah communicates with unseen entities.
• Latoya's Hauntings: Latoya experiences nocturnal attacks, feeling feverish and lightheaded, suggesting possible possession.

Notable Quote:

• "Regardless of how much she tried everything—the oil, the sage, the altar—they're not enough. It seems like all they've managed to do is piss off whatever is in the house."
  — Unknown [14:22]

Seeking Help and Institutional Reaction

Desperate for assistance, Latoya reaches out to various churches and eventually consults two psychics. The psychics reveal an overwhelming presence of over 200 demons inhabiting the house, advising Latoya to leave. Despite this, financial constraints prevent her from moving out immediately.

Latoya's pursuit leads her to contact her family doctor, who witnesses Noah's violent behavior firsthand. The doctor, skeptical of the supernatural explanation, refers the case to child services, resulting in the children's removal and hospitalization.

Notable Quote:

• "It's clear to everyone that something is very wrong."
  — Unknown [18:55]

The Police and Caseworker's Encounter

When child services and law enforcement revisit the Ammons house, they encounter inexplicable phenomena:

• Malfunctioning Equipment: Voice recorders fail or capture eerie whispers.
• Photographic Anomalies: A police officer captures an image of a floating figure on the porch, although the authenticity of the photo is later questioned.
• Physical Sensations: Police officers experience unexplained physical sensations, such as oily substances dripping from blinds.

Notable Quote:

• "All of this seems like a whole lot of work to get a simple grace period on rent. And I mean, it goes without saying, this doesn't explain things like the oil literally seeping from the walls on their own or one of Latoya's children walking up a wall."
  — Yvette [32:43]

Exorcisms and Spiritual Intervention

Latoya consults Father Maginot, a Catholic priest experienced in exorcisms. Despite initial setbacks, including the disappearance of the crucifix’s Christ figure and incomplete success in banishing the demons, Father Maginot persists. A final exorcism session sees Latoya actively praying aloud, successfully expelling the demons and liberating both herself and her house.

Notable Quote:

• "For Latoya, this is like the sun breaking through a never-ending thunderstorm. Not only is she free of demons, so is her house."
  — Unknown [30:37]

Aftermath and Controversy

Six months post-exorcism, the Ammons family regains custody of their children and moves out of the Gary house. However, skepticism emerges two years later in 2014, questioning the legitimacy of the supernatural claims. Critical analysis includes:

• Landlord's Testimony: Charles Reed, the longtime landlord, had no prior or subsequent reports of hauntings, initially suspecting Latoya's financial struggles as the root cause.
• Psychological Evaluations: Psychologists found no evidence of Latoya suffering from mental illness, contradicting suspicions that the haunting was a delusion. The children were diagnosed with behavioral issues, potentially exacerbated by their mother's beliefs.

Notable Quote:

• "But without knowing who snapped the photo, it's impossible to say if it really is a picture of a demon."
  — Unknown [38:18]

Cultural Impact and Legacy

The Gary, Indiana Demon House case gains media attention and inspires popular culture. Notably:

• Zak Bagans' Involvement: The house is purchased by Zak Bagans of Ghost Adventures fame, who documents further unexplained phenomena before demolishing the property in 2016.
• Hollywood Adaptation: Director Lee Daniels releases a horror film titled The Deliverance, loosely based on the Ammons family's story, highlighting themes of maternal protection against evil forces.

Notable Quote:

• "The message of the movie is the same as Latoya's story. Basically, nothing can compete with a mother's love. And she will do anything and everything to protect her children."
  — Yvette [40:01]

Conclusion

The "So Supernatural" episode on the Gary, Indiana Demon House presents a compelling narrative that intertwines alleged supernatural events with institutional skepticism. While eyewitness accounts and physical evidence suggest the presence of malevolent forces, psychological evaluations introduce doubt, leaving listeners to ponder the true nature of the hauntings.

Final Thoughts:

• The episode underscores the complexities of discerning between psychological distress and genuine paranormal activity.
• It highlights the enduring fascination and fear surrounding demonic possession and haunted locales.

Notable Quote:

• "All the things that happened to her and her family are in this movie. And I literally had a pillow in front of my face the entire time. And I was watching it with my husband. And Gino's like, why don't you just put the pillow down? I'm like, no, I can't put the pillow down. Like, I can't."
  — Yvette [40:01]

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Connect with So Supernatural Follow Yvette and Chuck on Instagram at @sewsupernaturalpod and visit their website at so.supernaturalpodcast.com for more spine-tingling episodes and updates.

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Disclaimer: The events and characters described in this episode are based on reports and testimonies. Viewer discretion is advised for those sensitive to themes of possession and supernatural occurrences.

Transcript

[Ashley Flowers]

Okay, so there's one movie I've never seen. Actually, there's a lot of movies I never saw in my kind of cultish way of growing up. And then you get to a certain age and you're like, ah, why bother? Anyways, there's one of those movies that when I tell people I haven't seen it, they like, almost can't believe me. And it's the Exorcist. Now, maybe it's all folklore surrounding the movie, but I used to hear about people throwing up a in the movie theater. And there was something about that I just couldn't stomach. But I also think that there was something about it that felt very, I don't know, possible. I mean, stories like this don't just appear out of thin air. Almost since the dawn of time, people have spoken about demonic possession. Calling a priest to exorcise some malevolent spirit. And it always seems to be in a young woman or a kid, which makes it that much scarier for me. But these things weren't just a thing of the past. Stories from our history. Apparently it's still happening. As recently as 2011, the Ammons family claimed that their one story house wasn't just regularly haunted. It was like full on demonic possession haunted. I'm talking kids levitating out of their beds during sleepovers, people getting tossed across the room by unknown forces. Social workers allegedly saw their son climb up a wall. And the most wild part of this story to me is that it happened not too far from where I am, right here in my home state of Indiana. Today we're covering the Gary Indiana Demon House. I'm Ashley Flowers and this is so Supernatural.

[Yvette]

Hey, y'all. Welcome back to so Supernatural. You know, when I was younger, I loved scary movies like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm street, and especially watching them in the theaters. I mean, I enjoyed the thrill of being scared, like when something suddenly jumps out at you and I spill my popcorn everywhere. Or when I'm gripping my boyfriend's arm so tightly that he can't feel it anymore. I mean, those experiences feel like rites of passage. As a teenager, however, what really terrifies me are movies and stories about possession. Like, how do you protect yourself from unseen forces? How do you protect your family or your children? I don't know Russia. But you remember, like, or, you know, this, I should say whenever I've moved from house or apartment, like, I'm always saging, opening doors, like, praying, you know, blessings.

[Unknown]

Yes, yes.

[Yvette]

And even when we did root of evil, like, I was carrying around my sage I was carrying. My six grandfathers sent my caravan scents. Like just for protection, right?

[Unknown]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Yvette]

So when Ashley told us about this story, I immediately thought of movies like Amityville, Horror, the Conjuring, the Exorcist. I mean, it's one thing to watch a movie like Poltergeist, but a real life haunted house is a whole nother level of space spooky.

[Unknown]

I couldn't agree with you more. And as you know, I'm a big scaredy cat and I cannot stomach horror movies. But I am fascinated with ghosts and spirits. This is the incredible story of the ammons family. In 2011, they were horrified to discover that their new house in Gary, Indiana was infested with spirits. For nearly a year, Latoya Ammons claims she and her family were mentally and physically physically attacked by demons. And when no one believed her, this mother did the unthinkable. To save her family, she had to get not one, not two, but three major exorcisms.

[Yvette]

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[Unknown]

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[Yvette]

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[Unknown]

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[Yvette]

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[Unknown]

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[Yvette]

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[Unknown]

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So it's November 2011 and all Latoya Almonds wants to do is just relax like every other mother. She's a single mom around her 30s with three kids. A 12 year old daughter who we're gonna call Casey. A nine year old son who we'll call Jackson, and a seven year old son who we're going to call Noah.

[Yvette]

And just to be clear, these are fake names. The papers didn't report the kids names at the time of the incident. So to to protect their privacy, we want to do exactly the same thing.

[Unknown]

Latoya and the kids live with her mother, Rosa Campbell. All five of them have just spent the last few days moving into a new rental house at 3860 Carolina street in Gary, Indiana. Which isn't too far from where Ashley and the rest of the team at audio Chuck is.

[Yvette]

That's right.

[Unknown]

And look, we all know that moving is exhausting. I know. But moving with three kids, I can't even imagine. I only have one kid, so I don't even know what she was going through.

[Yvette]

I don't have none. And I'm already tired, so I'm tired.

[Unknown]

Just thinking about it. So the only thing Latoya can think about at the end of the day is she wants some me time. But of course, there's always something else to do. New house, new problems. Am I right? So for most people, that means maybe the water pressure is too low or the front door squeaks. Things that you know, can be annoying but manageable. But in Latoya's new place, the issues are a little bit weirder than that. Like when the family tries to hang out on their new screened in porch, they keep getting swarmed by these big black flies. Ew.

[Yvette]

Yeah, you know me and flies. Like, I can't stand flies. My little chihuahua can't stand flies. Terrified of flies. So I would be like, where the hell are all these coming from?

[Unknown]

Totally. And Rosa, Latoya's mother, keeps swearing she can hear footsteps in the basement. But when she goes to investigate, she doesn't see anything unusual. So over time, the incidents start getting more frequent and more strange. One night, Rosa wakes up and sees the shadowy figure of a man pacing around the house. Now, of course, Rosa's first instinct is that they're being robbed. But when she gets up to confront the burglar, she can't find him. She looks all over the house, but whoever the shadowy man is, he's nowhere to be found. But the next morning, Rosa finds a large muddy boot print in the damn house. It's way too big to come from any of the family's shoes. So then of course, she starts to think, maybe a burglar did break into the house last night, but he escaped before she could find him. Except the weird thing was, what kind of burglar doesn't steal anything?

[Yvette]

I mean, noises and shadowy figures are one thing, but they pale in comparison to what happens next. Because five months after the almonds move in, whatever it is in the house is starting to get physical. Like that. Scares the bejesus out of me.

[Unknown]

Me too.

[Yvette]

It's 2am on March 10, 2012, and the Ammons have had a long day. After a loved one died that morning, their house has become a hub for friends and family who've been mourning their loss long into the night. Latoya and her mother, Rosa and some other adult friends are in the living room talking while the kids are winding down in the bedrooms with their cousins. The adults are finally starting to call it a night themselves when all of a sudden, they hear shouting coming from Rosa's bedroom. Rosa and Latoya rush to the room to find Latoya's 12 year old daughter Casey, completely unconscious and floating a foot above the bed.

[Unknown]

Oh, hell no.

[Yvette]

Like I would be out of that house so fast. Like gone. Bye. See ya.

[Unknown]

Bye, Felicia.

[Yvette]

But we know that Latoya is a devout Christian, so her first instinct is to ask God for help. So all the mourners gather in Rose's room. They're reciting hymns and praying as if their lives depended on it. Which honestly, Casey's might. And miraculously, it works. Slowly but surely, Casey lowers back onto the bed. She blinks her eyes open. And as she looks around at all the concerned faces, she asks what just happened. She doesn't remember a thing.

[Unknown]

Can you even imagine?

[Yvette]

No.

[Unknown]

Yeah. After the levitation incident, the cat, or I guess the poltergeist is out of the bag. Because this is the first of a whole bunch of possession incidents for the Ammons family. And whatever is haunting the house is getting much, much more physical and more violent. At one point, it throws little 9 year old Jackson across the room. Casey has incidents where it feels like invisible hands are holding her down and choking her. And latoya keeps finding 7 year old Noah hiding in a closet talking to someone who isn't actually there. Latoya doesn't escape the strange attacks either. She wakes up some nights feeling feverish and lightheaded. It's like she's not in control of her body. Like some entity is actually possessing her.

[Yvette]

Okay, I think it's time to call Somebody, a pastor, a rabbi, Ghostbusters. I mean, y'all, These people need help.

[Unknown]

Yes, that's exactly what latoya's thinking. But when she asks around, it feels like nobody wants to get involved. So Latoya calls church after church, but most of them dismiss her. Either they think she's lying, or they simply don't want anything to do with her haunted house. Latoya is at her wit's end when finally, someone recommends two psychics to her. This so reminds me of something that mom would do. Right, Yvette?

[Yvette]

Totally. Totally. Yeah.

[Unknown]

But by this time, several months have passed since she's moved in. So it's early spring 2012, when Latoya finally gets these two psychics to come see the house. She's hoping there are rules to this thing, some way to control it. Like, if it's an angry spirit, maybe there's a way to cast that spirit out or at least cleanse the house. Even if she could live alongside it, like a particularly spooky roommate, she'd be happy.

[Yvette]

Oh, no.

[Unknown]

I know, I know. She's just at her wit's end, basically. So she leads the psychics through the house room to room. They aren't giving much away, but it's clear they're sensing something is very, very wrong. Because before latoya even finishes the tour, they take her outside, and they tell her that she needs to leave now because she's not just dealing with one spooky entity. The house is infested with over 200 demons.

[Yvette]

All I can say is, oh, hell no. Like, one demon, two demon. Now you're telling me 200 demons. I'm already gone. Like, you know, never to return.

[Unknown]

Never, never, never, never to return. Because what's the first thing you scream at at the TV when watching a horror film? Like, you're literally just telling them, move, get out of the way, leave. Right.

[Yvette]

All the time.

[Unknown]

But for latoya, it's not that simple. She just spent all of her money getting into this home. She doesn't have the cash to just up and leave and break her lease. So the psychics give her some advice. Try setting up an altar in the basement and bless the house that very night. Latoya and Rosa follow these exact instructions. They set up a table in the basement and cover it with a white sheet and then place statues of jesus, Mary, and Joseph on it. She wasn't playing. They burned sage and wafted it through the house, making signs of the cross with the smoke. Around the same time, a church finally gets Back to Latoya with a bit of advice on how to handle the situation. So she follows their directions, too. Latoya deep cleans the house and draws a cross in olive oil on all the doors and windows. She also anoints her children's hands and feet with oil. But all of this, the oil, the sage, the altar, they're not enough. In fact, it seems like all they've managed to do is piss off whatever is in the house.

[Yvette]

So Latoya changes her course of action. On April 19, 2012, she figures if the church can't help her, maybe the family doctor can. Latoya believes this is more than a mental illness, but she's desperate for someone to do something. So a doctor probably seems like the next logical solution. And she gets to show them firsthand what they've been dealing with. Because right there in his office, Latoya's son Noah starts exhibiting strange behaviors. He starts thrashing and screaming and speaking in demonic voices and cursing. The doctor is terrified. It's like nothing he's ever seen before. But his world is logic and reason, not spirituality. So he immediately believes the issue here is psychiatric, not supernatural.

[Unknown]

I do not agree.

[Yvette]

I do not either. But he notes that the whole family has delusions of ghost in the home and are suffering from hallucinations. Then he does what he believes is best for Noah. He calls an ambulance. Latoya rides with Noah to the local hospital, terrified that her son is sick. Only she's met in the ICU by the police and a caseworker from the department of child services. I mean, Latoya's devastated. She's only doing what she believed would protect her children. Now her son is hospitalized and child services is involved. And when she tries to explain about the demons, it feels like no one will listen to her. In fact, it's only making things worse. Then something happens in the hospital that nobody can explain. Something so outrageous that it turns the caseworker and a police officer into true believers. Make learning a new language easier with one of the most trusted language learning programs, Rosetta Stone. The program is designed for long term retention. Plus the true accent feature even gives you feedback on your pronunciation. My husband's family lives in Italy, so I find my Rosetta stone mobile app so helpful in completing full sentences and perfecting my pronunciation. Like andiamo, let's go. Or tividiamo, suboto. I'll see you soon. Don't put off learning that language. There's no better time than right now to get started. Our listeners can get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership. For 50% off, visit rosettastone.com supernatural that's 50% off unlimited access to 25 courses for the rest of your life. Redeem your 50% off at rosettastone.com supernatural today.

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It'S 2012, and Latoya almond is having the worst week, maybe even worst year of her life. Not only are demons attacking her family, but the authorities won't believe her. Now her son's in the hospital being examined by doctors and child services.

[Yvette]

Just picture this hospital room. I mean, it's utter chaos. Latoya, Rosa, and all three kids are there. Noah is screaming, he's growling, he's speaking in strange voices and convulsing. And he's doing all of this in front of the caseworkers, the nurses, and the police. It takes five people to hold him down in the hospital bed. And worst of all, nobody can agree on what his problem is, whether it's medical, mental, or spiritual. But it's clear to everyone that something is very wrong.

[Unknown]

The caseworker assigned to the Ammons family is named Valerie Washington. So let's imagine you're Valerie for a second. You're coming into this with reports of kids acting strangely. With your background, you're pretty primed to believe that they're acting out because of something going on at home. Now, I'm sure that she's seen her fair share of abuse, neglect, hunger, even mental illness. But the longer she spends with the Ammons family in the hospital, the more she starts to believe something else is going on here. Valerie watches as Noah starts growling and baring his teeth. His eyes roll back in his head, and before anyone can make a move, he springs at his brother, Jackson, wrapping his hands around the older boy's throat. Noah's only 7 years old, but he's showing such strength that Jackson can't even stop him. It takes several adults to pull Noah off of his brother. Now that's not even what Disturbs Valerie the most. Later that night, she interviews the boys with their grandmother, Rosa and a nurse in the room. As Valerie is asking questions, Noah begins staring down Jackson and growling at him again. Then his voice drops into a strange, deep register, and he starts rasping threats, saying, quote, it's time to die. But then something comes over Jackson. He turns on Rosa and starts headbutting his grandmother in the stomach. Next, the creepiest, most inexplicable thing happens right in front of Valerie's eyes. Rosa grabs Jackson's hands to pray with him. But instead of joining her, he reportedly looks up at Valerie and the nurse With a creepy grin on his face. He stands up. He walks slowly backwards to the wall, and then walks straight up it. Backwards. Are you listening to the words that are coming out of my mouth? He walked backwards all the way up to the ceiling. Valerie is so freaked out that she takes off running with the nurse hot on her heels. She cannot explain what she just saw, but she feels confident there's something evil fixating on the Ammons family. But here's the thing. It's her job to protect those children, right? So the next day, she tells latoya what she's decided. To keep the kids safe. Child services is taking emergency custody and moving her three kids to a foster home.

[Yvette]

Wow. Now, there's a bit of a difference between what Valerie Washington said she saw and what her notes say.

[Unknown]

I bet there were. How could she explain that? On paper?

[Yvette]

Yeah, exactly. I know, but the thing is, Valerie is a caseworker. She deals in family services. Right?

[Unknown]

Right.

[Yvette]

She is a logical woman. I mean, she spent years trying to get to bottom of child welfare cases, which, in her mind, always have a reasonable explanation. She's just gone through something utterly terrifying, unlike anything she's ever experienced. So she's dealing with it the only way she knows how, by finding a rational explanation. So one idea that she writes down is that perhaps all of this is stemming from latoya herself. That the mother, Latoya, has some kind of mental illness or delusion that's making her think the house is haunted. Wanting to please their mother, the children could be pretending to be possessed and attacked by spirits. So Valerie tells latoya the kids will undergo psychiatric evaluations, and in a few weeks, child services will come tour the house, and if everything goes well, her children will be returned to her.

[Unknown]

So, of course, latoya is naturally distraught. Who wouldn't be? She's done everything she can to protect her kids. And now the state is investigating whether she's a fit mother. She knows her only chance to get her kids back. Is to prove to the authorities that the demons tormenting her family are real. Now, around this time, Latoya meets a Catholic priest named Father Maginot who blesses the house. Latoya is relieved when she finds that Maginot believes her. But that relief quickly turns to terror. Because the father is so disturbed by the house. He advises Latoya and Rosa to stay with a relative. It's too dangerous for them to continue living there.

[Yvette]

I mean, that's what I was saying in the beginning. Like, hello. Finally, someone is telling them to get the heck up out of that house.

[Unknown]

And thankfully, this time, they actually listen. They stay out of the house for most of the following week. But eventually they have to go back for that child services visit. That day, Latoya and Rosa meet Valerie and three police officers outside the house on Carolina Street. Latoya herself is even too scared to go inside. So Rosa takes the group into the house. But from the moment they step inside, their equipment starts immediately malfunctioning. Two of the cops are using voice recorders. Only one of the voice recorders dies almost as soon as they step foot in the house. Despite being fully charged. The other recorder does something totally different. When the police officer listens back to it later that day, he hears an unknown voice whisper, hey. On the recording, another officer is taking photos of the screened in front porch. Where he notices something very strange. A cloudy white smudge appears in the upper right hand corner of the image. When it's enlarged later, it shows the clear outline of a floating human figure on the porch.

[Yvette]

All I can say is get out. Get out. Get out.

[Unknown]

There's a movie called Get Out. And I'm sure there's a scene like that from that movie. Even though I couldn't watch it because I was too much of a scaredy cat. But anyway, on another police visit about two weeks later, things start to get kind of sticky. This time, Latoya and Rosa are joined by Father Maginot and several police officers. Valerie is too scared to go back in the house. So a different caseworker named Samantha joins the expedition. It only takes minutes for people to start fleeing the house. Samantha's pinky finger starts to tingle as if something is wrong with the nerve in her finger. Actually, she's so convinced her finger is broken. That she ends up having a complete panic attack. And she also has to leave. Then Latoya complains of a pain in her head and shoulder, and she leaves. The remaining cops Notice there's something oily dripping from the venetian blinds in the living room. Father Maginot declares that this is obviously demonic. And while he's dabbled in demon hunting before, he's never seen such clear evidence of an evil presence.

[Yvette]

Well, thank God for Father Maginot, because now somebody believes her.

[Unknown]

Seriously. The cops are a little less sure, which is to be expected. So they conduct an experiment. They completely clean off the venetian blinds and then seal off the living room for 25 minutes. No one goes in, and no one comes out. And what do you think happens when they open the door?

[Yvette]

Let me guess. The blinds are oily again.

[Unknown]

Bingo. Demon juice all over them.

[Yvette]

Okay, so both the police and child services have seen a lot of spooky things in the Ammon's house at this point. One police officer walks away fully believing there's something evil in the house. And remember, the caseworker, Valerie Washington saw Jackson walk up a wall. Like, literally saw him walk up a wall. And yet it's still not enough to convince the state. I mean, I imagine it would take a lot. So they informed Latoya they're keeping her kids.

[Unknown]

That is so heartbreaking. I can't even imagine what she was going through.

[Yvette]

But as a mom, she's not going to stop fighting for her children. She realizes if she wants to get her kids back and get her house cleansed of spirits, she needs to see Father Maginot again. He says he thinks he can still help her, but he's got a new theory now. Father Maginot doesn't believe the problem lies with the house. He thinks it's with Latoya. Essentially, the demons aren't haunting a place, but a person. And listen, all the demonic attacks didn't stop once Latoya left her place. Remember, Latoya's children kept acting like they were possessed, even in the hospital. So it's not the cottage on Carolina street he needs to exercise. He says it's Latoya herself. Father Majino goes, and he presents Latoya's story to his bishop. Now, in the 21 years that he's been at the diocese, this bishop has never authorized an exorcism. But after hearing everything that's happened to Latoya, he gives his blessing. And so it seems the entire power of the Catholic Church stands behind Father Maginot and this exorcism, at least at the time.

[Unknown]

So let's Fast forward to June 2012, about two months since her kids were removed from the home. Latoya Almonds is equal Parts. Terrified and hopeful, she's bound in a chair in Father Maginot's church in Maryville, Indiana, which is just outside of Gary. As Father Maginot begins to pray, Latoya starts convulsing in her chair. Maginot presses a crucifix to her forehead and repeatedly tells the demons he's casting them out. But when he draws back, he freezes in surprise. The little metal Christ figure that decorates his crucifix has disappeared without a trace.

[Yvette]

What? That's cuckoo.

[Unknown]

And try as he might, the one exorcism doesn't quite do the trick. As Latoya comes out of her trance in the chair, Father Maginot informs her that the demons haunting her have been weakened, but they are far from gone. They will need to try again. Over the course of the month, he tries this two more times.

[Yvette]

I can't even imagine like, this poor woman is going through this, but she's doing what she has to do because she wants to get rid of this.

[Unknown]

Exactly. Well, the final time seems like the most difficult for Latoya or the demons hiding inside of her. As Father Maginot prays in Latin and recites from the Bible, poor Latoya convulses again, fighting the straps that are keeping her in that chair. But still, Father Maginot believes some stubborn demons are refusing to come out. Finally, just as Father Maginot's about to call it quits, Latoya starts praying aloud, something she hasn't done in any of the earlier exorcisms. And it seems to make a huge difference, because after that, the demons are gone. Just like that. For Latoya, this is like the sun breaking through a never ending thunderstorm. Not only is she free of demons, so is her house.

[Yvette]

As one last precaution, Latoya and Rosa get the resources needed to move away from the house on Carolina Street. And finally, six months after that fateful day when her son walked up a wall, she gets her kids back.

[Unknown]

Thank goodness. It's not every day we get to see a happy ending. Especially in what feels like a real life horror movie.

[Yvette]

Well, hang on. The credits haven't rolled quite yet, Rasha. Because this story reaches the news two years later in 2014. And that's when people start to doubt whether there were ever any demons in the first place. You got five on it.

[Unknown]

With the $5 meal deal at McDonald's.

You about to eat. Eating your choice of a tender, juicy.

[Yvette]

McChicken or a hot cheesy McDouble sandwich.

[Unknown]

And a crispy four piece McNuggets and a small fries.

[Yvette]

And a small drink for just $5. Woo. 5 gets you more at McDonald's. Prices and participation may vary. For a limited time only. So many options for toilet paper. Quintuple ply. This roll is titanium in forest. This one is made from elderly trees. Is that good? Just grab angel soft. It's simple, soft and strong. And for any budget, angel soft, soft and strong. Simple. One of the strangest things about the almond's haunting case is how well documented it is. I mean, every terrifying incident is confirmed by multiple people.

[Unknown]

But even with all of this overwhelming evidence, there are some skeptics out there. So let's go back through the story step by step and see if the dark demons tormenting the Ammons family hold up in the harsh light of day. Our first stop is, you guessed it, the house on Carolina street.

[Yvette]

So charles reed was the landlord at 3860 Carolina street for 33 years. And as he told reporters, he's heard every excuse under the sun for late rent, house problems, I mean, you name it. But 200 demons? That's a new one. Charles apparently never had ghostly issues in this house either before or after the Ammons family lived there. So he was surprised to hear about strange oily liquids seeping from the walls and unseen forces possessing her children. At first, he thought he knew where this was coming from. Latoya was behind on his rent and possibly looking for excuses to delay paying her bills. But that was only before the catholic church got involved. Once charles heard that they had approved an exorcism, he was much more willing to believe latoya.

[Unknown]

All of this seems like a whole lot of work to get a simple grace period on rent. And I mean, it goes without saying, this doesn't explain things like the oil literally seeping from the walls on their own or one of latoya's children walking up a wall. Based on everything we know, the demons seem to be attached to latoya, not the rental house. So the landlord's opinion doesn't hold a ton of weight for me, But a clinical psychologist's opinion now that I'm a little more interested in. So Latoya's kids, Noah, Jackson, and Casey, were in the custody of child services for about six months. During that time, they were evaluated by specially trained psychologists to get to the root of their bizarre behavior. The psychologist who examined the youngest son, Noah, noted that in normal conversation, he came across as calm and logical. But the second demons were mentioned. All of that Went out the window. Noah would make claims about demons that didn't make any sense, or his stories would change with every retelling. The psychologist also noticed that whenever she asked noah a question he didn't like, he'd literally start acting like he was possessed. He'd growl. He'd roll his eyes back in his head, Just like he did at the hospital. Like maybe it was sort of a defensive tactic. As for the other two kids, the psychologist who examined them Noticed similar behavior. He saw that both kids really did believe Something strange was happening in the home. But that didn't mean that the home was actually haunted by demons. In fact, both doctors concluded that the three kids weren't really possessed. Instead, they were acting this way because their mother encouraged it. The doctor believed latoya was suffering from a demonic delusion.

[Yvette]

Now, let's just break that down for a second. Yes, latoya was a devout christian. And yes, some deeply religious people Are primed to believe in things like demons. So perhaps something convinced latoya there were demons in the house, and her children followed suit. But what that doesn't account for Is latoya's own psychological evaluation. Latoya was so confident she was telling the truth that she released her own psych records to the newspaper. That's because when latoya was evaluated, the doctor concluded she was not suffering from psychosis or any other disorder. After declaring latoya was a stable guardian for her children, the department of child services set several parameters. For her to regain custody of her children. The family needed to avoid talking about demons and possessions and to go to therapy together. I mean, these are all good things. But the most interesting rule was the final one. Latoya would need to move to a new house. Hello. What have we been saying all along? I know. And why? Apparently, they felt there was proof that something so supernatural Was happening at the house on carolina street. Right there in the official child services case file, it said this house was unfit to live in due to paranormal activity. Hello.

[Unknown]

That's what we've been saying this entire time all along. So even with all the therapy and searching for mental or emotional reasons for the almonds problem, Child services still thought the house was haunted. I mean, it makes so much sense to me. And yvette. Remember what happened at the hospital? Jackson slowly walking backwards up the wall with so many witnesses. You can't unsee that.

[Yvette]

No, you cannot unsee that. Now, some skeptics have argued this isn't as impossible a feat as it sounds. With the grandmother, rosa, holding the Boy's hand. She could have been bracing him on his journey up the wall.

[Unknown]

No.

[Yvette]

Like what?

[Unknown]

There's no way. She's an elderly woman. He's an 11 year old boy. That is not possible. There's this little thing we call gravity that comes into play here. Plus, there were two trained professionals that were so terrified of what they saw, they literally ran out of the room screaming. We also have to consider that there were people who saw terrifying things when the Ammons family wasn't even there. Like police Captain Charles Austin. He was one of the officers present when they took the photo with the mysterious white figure on the front porch. Have to remember that.

[Yvette]

So let's talk about the photo for a second, because from what I read, it may not be totally credible. And here's the problem. According to the Indianapolis Star, the photo of the front porch with this terrifying, shadowy white figure was snapped by someone from the Hammond Police Department, which patrols the town of Hammond, which is right next to Gary. But on further investigation, the Hammond police chief claimed that the photo did not come from them. So we really have no idea where that photo came from. The figure pictured in it could be real. It could be a trick of light or even Photoshop for all that matters. But without knowing who snapped the photo, it's impossible to say if it really is a picture of a demon. On one hand, it's easy to believe that Latoya Ammons was a single mom dealing with a lot on her plate and possibly looking for someone or something to blame. But the huge stack of eyewitness accounts and hard evidence makes me think 100% that she was truly haunted by demons.

[Unknown]

And it looks like in the years since, things have gone pretty quiet at the Gary, Indiana demon house. Landlord Charles Reed rented it out for several more years with no incident. In 2014, he sold the house to Zak Bagans. You know, the host of the paranormal investigation show Ghost Adventures.

[Yvette]

We do know.

[Unknown]

And side note, our beautiful mother, Fauna Hodel was on Ghost Adventures on the Black Dahlia house episode in 2015. I don't know why Zach bought that damn house. Yeah, he crazy.

[Yvette]

He also shot a documentary in the house before tearing it down in 2016. And afterwards, this is what he told the indie star. He saw supernatural things inside that house that he had never seen before. And the words that he used. Dark, intelligent, and powerful. And the house wasn't the only part of this story to receive the Hollywood treatment. So this year, director Lee Daniels just released his first ever horror film, and it's about latoya Amond's story, you know, he changes some things, obviously. Like, it's not in Gary, Indiana. It's in Pittsburgh. It's called the Deliverance. But all the things that happened to her and her family are in this movie. And I literally had a pillow in front of my face the entire time. And I was watching it with my husband. And Gino's like, why don't you just put the pillow down? I'm like, no, I can't put the pillow down. Like, I can't. The message of the movie is the same as Latoya's story. Basically, nothing can compete with a mother's love. And she will do anything and everything to protect her children. And that's going to hell and back for them, y'all.

[Unknown]

This is so Supernatural. An audio Chuck original produced by Crime House. You can connect with us on Instagram, at sewsupernaturalpod and on our websites. So supernaturalpodcast.com join Yvette and me next Friday for an all new episode. So what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve?

[Yvette]

When you find a deal on your favorite thing in the McDonald's app and order it, does that technically count as online shopping? Save money with the app at participating McDonald's.

[Unknown]

Prices may vary.

[Yvette]

So many options for toilet paper, quintuple ply. This roll is titanium enforced. This one is made from elderly trees. Is that good? Just grab AngelSoft. It's simple, soft and strong. And for any budget, Angelsoft soft and strong. Simple.