Ghosts
Doris Bither and the Entity Haunting
Doris Bither surrounded by an unexplained light. Photo: Dr Barry Taff
In the world of paranormal phenomena, few cases are as infamous as that of Doris Bither. Although many may not recognize her name, her story has been immortalized through a fictionalized retelling in the spine-chilling film, THE ENTITY (1982). This harrowing tale follows a working-class single mother who claimed to have suffered sexual assaults at the hands of a supernatural entity, prompting an investigation by parapsychologists from the prestigious Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA.
Who was Doris Bither?
Little is known for sure about Doris Bither as she was reluctant to reveal details about herself to those investigating the case.
Interviews with Doris’s sons after her passing have revealed was ostracized by her family during her teenage years due to her rebellious and wild behavior.
He shared that she began experimenting with Ouija Boards and holding séances at a young age, eventually turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with her troubled psyche.
Doris’s sons explained that there were signs of paranormal activity even before they moved to Braddock Drive in Culver City, California.
They recounted experiences of psychokinetic events and the occasional sighting of ghosts in the house.
Doris Bither and the Entity Haunting
The house from “The Entity” where Doris Bither lived. 11547 Braddock Drive, Culver City, California. Photo: RoadTrippers
Not long after Doris moved to Culver City from Santa Monica, a mysterious Hispanic lady showed up at her door and told her that her house was an evil place.
When Doris asked the woman what she meant, she just left without elaborating. It wasn’t long before the paranormal activity began to materialize.
Doris and her family began to see semi-transparent apparitions that appeared to be human in shape and size.
Doris claimed these spirits physically and sexually assaulted her, even throwing her across a room and into a wall with immense force. One of her sons was also a victim of these attacks.
As one could imagine, the family was too scared to contact the police. Instead, Doris confided in a female friend about the ongoing events. If it weren’t for a chance meeting at a local bookstore, the story might have ended there.
Bither’s friend overheard a conversation between two parapsychologists, Barry Taff and Kerry Gaynor, who worked at the University of California in Los Angeles, discussing paranormal topics in a bookshop. Taff shares the same story in his 2014 book, Aliens Above, Ghosts Below, and a 2017 DVD interview.
Bither’s friend shared her experiences with the parapsychologists and asked if they could help the troubled woman. Intrigued by the possibility of investigating a haunting, Taff and Gaynor interviewed Bither in August of 1974.
This fateful meeting would launch an investigation that would become one of the most well-known and controversial cases of paranormal activity in history.
The Investigation into Doris Bither
A podcast talking about Doris Bither and the story of the entity haunting
During the investigation of Doris Bither’s haunted house, parapsychologists Barry Taff and Kerry Gaynor reported experiencing common ghost phenomena such as cold spots, subjective sensations, and bad smells due to the rundown state of the wooden dwelling.
Taff claimed:
“The most intense occurrence which Doris related to us was that she had been sexually assaulted by three semi-visible beings.
Two of the smaller beings or apparitions literally held her down by the wrists and ankles, while the remaining form entered her.
According to Doris’ testimony, this event took place on several separate occasions, each time leaving behind large and distinct black and blue wounds, especially around the ankles, wrists, breasts, and groin area of the inner thighs.” (Taff 2014)
Unfortunately these claims were not well documented and the investigation lacked protocol. Despite this, the investigators were able to capture several unexplained photographs during their second visit with additional equipment and cameras.
After almost two weeks, the group finally returned to Doris’ house, this time with witnesses. They were met with the stench of rotting flesh and a dramatic drop in temperature, despite the summer heat.
As they investigated, a frying pan was flung across the kitchen by an unseen force. This was just the beginning of a weeks-long investigation that reached its peak with the appearance of a full-bodied apparition.
Doris, Dr. Taff, and a group of assistants and technicians watched in awe as strange masses of light came together to form a large, human-like figure. It looked around at the stunned onlookers before vanishing into thin air.
Despite Doris’ attempts to leave the haunting behind by moving, the paranormal activity seemed to follow her. She relocated multiple times, but the strange occurrences persisted. Dr. Taff eventually lost touch with her, and was left with more questions than answers.
Barry Taff’s Theory About Doris Bither and the Entity Haunting
Barry Taff believes that it’s not ghosts or spirits behind the haunting affecting Doris Bither but a phenomenon called Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis (RSPK).
Psychokinesis, or the ability to move objects without physical means, can be divided into two types: microscopic and macroscopic.
Microscopic psychokinesis works on a small scale, affecting things like subatomic particles and random number generators. It is typically electrostatic-based and requires conscious effort, resulting in fatigue in the individual.
Macroscopic psychokinesis, or what is commonly referred to as “poltergeist,” involves the ability to move very large objects, sometimes weighing hundreds of pounds, and is believed to be subconscious in nature.
Unlike microscopic psychokinesis, no fatigue is observed in the person at the center of the phenomenon. In both cases, it is believed that the ability to move objects is generated by a living human.
Taff believes that there are multiple factors that contribute to the phenomenon, with some overlap between them. One of these is the location where the individual is experiencing it, which could be a site with a strong geomagnetic or electromagnetic anomaly affecting them.
Another variable is that the individual is often seizure-prone or epileptic, possibly without realizing it. Lastly, they tend to have poor coping mechanisms and struggle to manage stress effectively. When these three factors combine in the right way, it can lead to the occurrence of RSPK.
Have you ever seen any poltergeist activity like what happened to Doris Bother? Let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed this article about Doris Bither you might also be interested in the story of the Enfield Haunting or the story of Kate Morgan.
The creepy Fofao dolls did in fact contain a sharp spike within to support the doll’s head. Photo: Latin Folktales
An urban legend spread throughout Latin America in the late 1980s telling of a knife being hidden in Fofao dolls. It turns out it was somewhat based in reality.
Who was Fofão?
The rather spooky looking character of Fofao. Photo: Wikipedia
Orival Pessini was tasked by TV Globo director, José Bonifácio de Oliveira Sobrinho , to create a child character for the upcoming program Balão Mágico. As any character that was created would go on air, Orival was unsure of what to create, having no prior experience with children.
After contemplating various possibilities such as a dog, pig, clown, teddy bear, extraterrestrial, or human, Orival decided to combine all the ideas, resulting in the creation of Fofão.
Orival was also inspired by Steven Spielberg’s E.T, which he described as being unattractive but possessing a great heart and charisma. Therefore, he aimed to create a similar character in Fofão.
In 1983, the character Fofão made its first appearance on the morning children’s television program, Balão Mágico, as a supporting character to the children’s musical group.
Despite its minor role, the character quickly gained popularity, eventually becoming an iconic figure in Brazilian media during the 1980s. This was largely due to the high sales of a plush toy based on the character.
In 1986, following the end of the original program, Fofão was given its own solo show called TV Fofão, which aired on Rede Bandeirantes until 1989, with a brief return between 1994-1996. The character made its final TV appearance in 1998 on the CNT Gazeta channel.
During the early 1980s, he gained immense popularity among Brazilian children and became a sensation. The character had its own TV show, released albums, dolls, and various other licensed products.
The Legend of the killer Fofao dolls
A video telling the story of the creepy Fofao dolls
After Fofao’s meteoric rise to fame the Fofao dolls sold in huge numbers. Not long afterwards rumors began to spread about the dolls having a knife concealed inside them.
According to the legend, Fofao dolls were cursed and would come to life in the middle of the night. The doll’s head would then separate from its body revealing a large knife. The Fofao doll would then repeatedly stab the child sleeping peacefully next to them.
After the story of the cursed Fofao doll became widely known, many people reportedly burned their own Fofao dolls out of fear. The story has since become a popular urban legend throughout Latin America.
Spookily, the Fofao doll legend wasn’t completely made up. When the head of the doll was removed a large, sharp plastic spike was revealed. This was used as a structural support to help the doll to sit up on its own.
Did you hear the legend of the Fofao dolls when you were growing up? Tell us about it in the comments.
If you enjoyed this article about the creepy Fofao dolls you might also be interested in Okiku: The Doll with Growing Human Hair or the story of Gabriel March Granados and the world longest prison sentence.
A possible Demon Cat peering over a fence in Washington D.C. Photo: Wikipedia
Several people have reported seeing a large cat lurking around the US Government buildings in Washington D.C. Some say the cat appears as a warning before significant events.
The Legend of the Demon Cat of D.C
In the mid-1800s, cats were introduced into the underground tunnels of the United States Capitol Building with the purpose of exterminating rats and mice.
The story of the Demon Cat began during this time, with the belief that it was one of these feline workers whose spirit remained in the basement crypt after its passing.
The crypt, which was meant to be a final resting place for President George Washington, is said to be the Demon Cat’s favourite hangout.
As per a Washington Post article from 1898, the Demon Cat initially appears to be a regular-sized housecat but quickly expands to the size of an elephant, causing fear in the observer’s eyes.
In a 1935 Washington Post article, a witness described the Demon Cat’s eyes as glowing with the same intensity and fierceness as the headlights of a fire engine.
In addition to the Capitol Building, the legend extends to the White House. According to the tale, when the Demon Cat is seen on the Ground Floor of the White House (previously known as the basement), it means that a huge tragedy is about to unfold.
The Demon Cat’s notoriety is largely attributed to a collection of cat paw prints that can be found on the concrete floor of the Small Senate Rotunda, located near the entrance to the Old Supreme Court Chamber.
While the Architect of the Capitol asserts that these paw prints belong to the rat-catching cats that once inhabited the building, proponents of the Demon Cat legend contest this claim.
According to them, the paw prints only materialized after the rotunda was almost obliterated by an explosion in 1898, which they attribute to the vindictive cat, although official records attribute the blast to a gas explosion. (Who is to say the cat didn’t cause the gas explosion).
These believers also allege that the initials “D.C.” etched into the same floor stand for “Demon Cat”.
Sightings of the Demon Cat of D.C
One of the cats that lurked in the basement of the Capitol Building
The first recorded sighting of the Demon Cat was in the United States Capitol in 1862 when it appeared in the basement, which was then used as a bakery to feed soldiers during the Civil War.
The cat was seen multiple times in the basement, and a guard supposedly fired a gun at it, causing it to vanish.
Since then, the Demon Cat has been spotted most frequently in the Capitol Building’s basement. While some describe it as a tabby, others claim it to be black.
A White House guard claimed to have witnessed the Demon Cat before the 1929 stock market crash, while another night watchman spotted it prior to John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.
Even though no firsthand source confirms the Demon Cat’s sightings at the White House, the feline ghost is occasionally included among the “most renowned” spirits of the Executive Mansion.
Possible Explanations for the Demon Cat of D.C
A video about the Demon Cat of D.C
The legend of the Demon Cat of D.C is thought to have originated from a guardsman at the United States Capitol who had possibly consumed too much alcohol during a long night shift, as per public historian Steve Livengood from the United States Capitol Historical Society.
Livengood speculates that upon waking up from a nap, the guardsman saw a basement cat that appeared larger than life due to his lying down position, and this experience might have perpetuated the story of the Demon Cat.
Such oral ghost stories are commonplace, particularly among those who worked graveyard shifts in the Capitol and White House, and the Demon Cat legend aligns with the traditional perception of cats as mystical creatures with the power to bring misfortune.
In addition to this, cats are often associated with nefarious activities and witchcraft. As a result, the Demon Cat tale is probably an amalgamation of history, imaginative narration, and widely held beliefs, making it one of the most renowned ghost stories in the nation’s capital.
Have you ever seen the Demon Cat of D.C? Let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed learning about the Demon Cat of D.C you might be interested in other supernatural cats like the Bakeneko or the Canterbury Panther.
-
Ghosts8 months agoZozo: The Ouija Board Demon
-
Space6 months agoScientists claim to have found the answer what existed before the Universe
-
General7 months agoMysterious creature like Demogorgon from the “Stranger Things” filmed in India
-
General7 months agoWhere did ships from the Middle Ages come from in the US deserts?
-
General3 months agoPlanet Nibiru