A ghostly presence watches the McCarthy family from their Corpus Christi home in Texas, focusing its wrath on their beautiful teenage daughter, Caressa
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00:00In this world, there is real evil. In the darkest shadows and in the most ordinary places.
00:16These are the true stories of the innocent and the unimaginable.
00:22Paranormal investigator Stacey Jones knows the dangers of the supernatural world.
00:28She's a former police officer who relies on her training to methodically and safely search for human spirit.
00:36But an innocent mistake puts her only son at risk.
00:39And Stacey must battle the dark side to save his mortal soul.
00:48Between the world we see and the things we fear,
00:53there are doors. When they are opened, nightmares become reality.
01:11Drawn by the allure of exploring the unknown,
01:16enticed by the chance of proving the impossible,
01:22paranormal investigators must stay grounded in their quest.
01:28But when skepticism blinds the truth, perilous consequences threaten the innocent.
01:39Research, documentation, evidence.
01:43These are the keys to a solid investigation and to finding the answers we seek.
01:51The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, taken in 1937.
01:56It is the most famous alleged ghost photo of all time.
02:00Take a close look. Pretty provocative.
02:03Could it be a fraud?
02:05Stacey Jones founded Central New York Ghost Hunters in 1997.
02:11Being an ex-police officer sets me apart from other paranormal investigators
02:15because I really want that evidence to support what our claims are.
02:19Okay, with energy photos such as this one, how do we...
02:22Along with her team members, Stacey scientifically investigates human spirit hauntings.
02:29We're looking for evidence to support life after death.
02:32It's ironic. Any other questions?
02:34Stacey lives with her husband Lloyd and her 15-year-old son Jamie in Syracuse, New York.
02:41Although Lloyd is a true skeptic, he is a supportive husband and a devoted stepfather.
02:48Jamie has had a unique upbringing.
02:51Paranormal is pretty normal for me.
02:54My mom deals with it almost every day.
03:01Do you have any questions?
03:04Yes.
03:05Aren't ghosts, if they do exist, supposed to be dangerous?
03:08Well, the human spirit poses a danger that is more psychological than physical.
03:16What are the exceptions?
03:18The exceptions?
03:20Well, that's a question for my friend John Zaffis, if I ever heard one.
03:24Ladies and gentlemen, our expert on the dark and dangerous, Mr. John Zaffis.
03:28Thank you, Stacey.
03:29While Stacey focuses on human spirit cases,
03:32her longtime colleague from Connecticut specializes in a much darker realm.
03:37Hello, I'm John Zaffis, and for the past 25 years I've studied malevolent non-human spirits,
03:43better known as demons.
03:45When dealing with something on a negative level, usually the activity is very intense.
03:51You'll have furniture moving around, you can have really false smells.
03:55Personalities will actually be changed in these types of situations.
04:00The whole environment usually changes.
04:06Hey, Jamie, you still skateboarding?
04:08Every day.
04:11We got a line in the historic cemetery a few hours out of town.
04:15A lot of activity.
04:17Alleged activity.
04:19Sorry, alleged activity.
04:21We're hoping to get out there Saturday, if you can make it.
04:24Saturday? I told the guys we'd go for a picnic on Saturday.
04:27Come on.
04:29We'll see what I can do.
04:32Despite her full schedule, Stacey knows it's important to spend time with Jamie.
04:40That Saturday, family and work overlap.
04:48Before entering the cemetery, the team tests equipment they will use to find anomalies associated with human spirits.
04:55Electromagnetic field monitors,
04:57Infrared cameras record light sources invisible to the naked eye.
05:03And digital audio recorders capture sounds imperceptible to the human ear.
05:08Okay, there you go.
05:13But not all the equipment is sophisticated.
05:17What's that?
05:19It's a camera.
05:22But not all the equipment is sophisticated.
05:26What's that?
05:27Dowsing rods.
05:28What do they do?
05:30Some people believe that they can mystically find just about anything a person seeks.
05:34Oh, Regina, that's ridiculous and you know it.
05:37Dowsing is an ancient procedure for finding ionized objects underground.
05:41Water, metal, nothing more, nothing less.
05:44I have never personally used dowsing rods.
05:46I've never had anybody in my group seriously use dowsing rods.
05:50I doubted them a lot.
05:51Can I try it?
05:53No, I guess not.
05:55All right, here's how you do it.
05:56Put them parallel and when they come in, start tapping like that.
05:59You got something.
06:01Jamie normally doesn't go on investigations with me,
06:05but we found that cemeteries are usually pretty benign,
06:08so I felt pretty comfortable taking him.
06:13Wow, this place is huge.
06:21The cemetery has a dark history.
06:24It entombs the remains of soldiers who met violent deaths
06:28in every American war since the mid-1800s.
06:32We got e-mails from people stating that they have gone in and seen shadows moving.
06:38I'm skeptical of what people report because they go into places wanting to be scared.
06:45Can you take this?
06:47That's the plan.
06:51Let's see, Jamie and I will take the two eastern quadrants back here,
06:57and Regina and James, you go to the two northwest and southwest quadrants, right?
07:03Yeah.
07:09So what am I supposed to do with these things?
07:11Well, if you listen to James and Regina,
07:14you can use them to try to find a specific grave.
07:17Like what?
07:18Oh, I don't know, honey.
07:20Smith?
07:23Take me to a grave marked Smith.
07:30Nothing.
07:31Oh, imagine that.
07:33Come on, honey, we got a lot more ground to cover.
07:45Mom.
07:46What is it?
07:47Something's happening.
07:49What?
07:52What's happening, Mom?
07:54Oh, I don't know.
08:01What are you doing?
08:04I'll be damned.
08:06You found grave marked Smith.
08:10Don't you find that a little freaky?
08:12I was intrigued by it, but I was still skeptical.
08:16Oh, Jamie, be rational.
08:18In a cemetery this big, there's probably a hundred graves marked Smith.
08:22Then how do you explain the rods vibrating?
08:25Oh, probably metal deposits in the soil.
08:28My mom's constantly downplaying experiences that I've had.
08:35My mom's constantly downplaying experiences.
08:39There's always a scientific conclusion that could be made off these facts that we find.
08:44Jamie, what is the first rule of paranormal investigation?
08:48Be skeptical.
08:50Exactly.
08:51Those things are probably going to detect metal ten more times tonight.
08:54Now come on, let's go.
08:55Stay close to me.
08:58I don't want you wandering off.
09:05Coffee?
09:06Uh, not right now.
09:08Okay.
09:14I'm going to check in with Stacy.
09:16Hey, uh, we're in the old section.
09:19Anything interesting happening there yet?
09:22Not really. It's still early, but I'm not sure there's much to find out here.
09:35Mom?
09:47Mom?
10:05Mom?
10:10You need to keep up with me, Jamie.
10:13Sorry.
10:15Take them.
10:16You alright?
10:17Just take them.
10:19Well, put them in my backpack.
10:22Here.
10:29Mom!
10:30What is it?
10:31What is that?
10:35What are you doing?
10:38Back up. Slowly.
11:00Stacy fears they have just encountered shadow people.
11:04They're black forms that dart between trees and tombstones.
11:09The sense I got from it was negative.
11:13James, Regina, pack it up. Meet us at the van.
11:15Stacy out.
11:21Some researchers believe shadow people are dark beings.
11:24Others think they're negative psychic energies.
11:28Either way, Stacy knows they aren't human spirits.
11:33I really felt vulnerable.
11:35It wasn't safe anymore.
11:37And I've learned over the years to trust this instinct.
11:43Mom, I don't remember this place.
11:45James!
11:47Regina!
11:55We heard footsteps behind us, but there was no one there.
12:00Is that them?
12:02I don't know.
12:05This way.
12:11My steps.
12:16I felt like I was being surrounded.
12:19There was something out there that obviously had an interest in us.
12:30James!
12:32Regina!
12:34Stacy?
12:35Is that you?
12:37Where are you?
12:39In the parking lot. You okay?
12:46Stacy, what's going on in there?
12:53Whatever it was, it's got to be a ghost.
12:57Whatever it was is gone.
13:00We're coming!
13:04I'm not getting anything right now.
13:07Look.
13:14What happened in there?
13:15I don't know. Let's just talk about it later. Let's get out of here.
13:19James, are you alright?
13:21He just thought he saw something.
13:23Did you see something?
13:25No.
13:27Okay.
13:29Let's go.
13:30Okay.
13:54Hey, how was your shift?
13:56Very long.
13:57Oh, I'm glad you're home.
13:59Me too.
14:00You need something to drink?
14:01Yep.
14:02Okay.
14:03Good.
14:05So how was the big ghost hunt, huh?
14:07Oh, well, we saw something. Shadow people, I think.
14:11But I didn't get any documentation. I think I need a better camera.
14:16Or maybe there was nothing there, huh?
14:19Jamie, wake up.
14:29What?
14:54Oh, morning, sweetie.
14:55Mom.
14:56You told me about last night at the cemetery. I think we ended up just scaring ourselves more than anything.
15:00What about this?
15:03Jamie, what did you do to yourself?
15:07I didn't do anything.
15:09Well, of course you did. That didn't just appear by itself. What in the world happened?
15:14I didn't do anything. It just, like, appeared, I swear.
15:17In the back of my mind, I really had an aguing suspicion that something had gone on.
15:21But then my rationale kicked in.
15:23It's there. If you didn't do it, how did it get there?
15:26So I basically cleaned it up and let it go.
15:30Stop!
15:34I just felt completely betrayed.
15:36Don't go into my room. No!
15:37Jamie!
15:38We can try to downplay it as much as we want, but what are the chances of it being a perfect start?
15:45In the following days, Jamie senses the world around him changing.
15:51As the school year begins, he's numb to everyone.
15:56That's enough. Outside. Now.
16:01Look, I don't know what kind of stunt you're pulling in there, but I am not going to tolerate it.
16:05I didn't do anything.
16:06All right, wise guy. Let's see if you remember it from the principal.
16:08But I didn't do anything.
16:09No. Right now. Right now. Let's go.
16:13What's going on?
16:14Nothing.
16:18Nothing?
16:19Nothing?
16:20Do you remember anything about incessant mumbling?
16:22No.
16:24I swear.
16:27Nothing.
16:32Jamie.
16:36What's wrong with you?
16:37You want another detention?
16:38What for?
16:41That's two.
16:42You want another one?
16:43Why?
16:44Enough.
16:45Enough.
16:46Everything in my mind was completely normal. There was not a single thing wrong.
16:49But then there's all these things happening, and for the sake of me, I could not figure out why.
17:00Over the next week, Jamie feels like he's living in a fog.
17:06I was changing.
17:10Everything was just constant depression, anger.
17:13There was no happy point of my life.
17:19He wishes he could talk to his mom, but she's always too busy.
17:24I'm sorry.
17:41I just had nothing.
17:43All I had was to sit in my room, listen to music, and that's it.
17:54I'm sorry.
18:14The tape dispenser just swipes across my room.
18:18Did that just happen?
18:19It almost seemed fake.
18:23I'm sorry.
18:53I'm sorry.
19:00I thought, maybe my house is haunted.
19:04Jamie?
19:19Jamie?
19:24Mom, something just happened upstairs.
19:26No.
19:27I don't know, but...
19:28Oh my gosh, what the heck is this?
19:31Three detentions in one week?
19:34Mom, I don't know what's going on right now.
19:38Well, obviously there's some sort of problem.
19:43I don't have a problem, Stacy.
19:46But if I did, do you think you could fix it?
19:53What the heck is that supposed to mean?
19:55I'm going to bed.
19:57Jamie?
20:00Stacy hopes that Jamie is just going through a phase.
20:03This is not Jamie. This is not Jamie's behavior.
20:06He doesn't get in trouble like this. He's a good kid.
20:24As Halloween nears, Stacy lectures constantly.
20:30Hey, have either of you guys seen my diamond earrings?
20:33What, they're not in your jewelry box?
20:35No, I already looked there.
20:37Have either of you seen my earrings?
20:39No, no, I haven't seen them.
20:40Oh, for gosh sakes, I'm going to be late.
20:43Yeah, me too.
20:44Look, you, after dinner, homework.
20:47You going to check my answers?
20:48You know, I might.
20:54Jamie has never felt more alone.
20:58My mom was the last person I could turn to for help.
21:01I had no friends to turn to for help.
21:03My stepdad wasn't even in question to turn to for help.
21:07Just quite literally no one.
21:09I heard a gross, frictiony, wet noise.
21:15Who's there?
21:19Who's there?
21:22Who's there?
21:32Jamie's not in there.
21:34No, I can't get in there.
21:35No, no, I can't.
21:36any wet noise.
22:05The sound slowly goes back into the kitchen.
22:12It goes into the computer room.
22:13It was just a constant goose chase.
22:25It was interacting.
22:29Jamie passes the night alone, afraid the one person he used to count on won't believe
22:35him.
22:36Jamie!
22:37So I tell my mom, after the star, the tape dispenser, every time I tell her, she'd blow
22:46it off, put it aside.
22:49What's wrong?
22:56I heard this sound.
22:59It was like lips smacking.
23:03Except for louder.
23:04It was disgusting.
23:05Oh, honey, it was probably just the neighbor's cat crying again.
23:11You know that they leave it out all the time.
23:13It's so cold.
23:14They never let it in.
23:16I did have suspicion that it may have been something that Jamie made up just because
23:21he could have heard me talking about it before.
23:24Maybe this was the way he was getting this attention from me.
23:26Why don't you ever believe me?
23:32My view of my mom completely changed.
24:02The dream is so incredibly real.
24:09The idea struck me that things were going to get just completely out of control violent.
24:32Stacey wonders if there's more to Jamie's behavior than a plea for attention.
24:55Jamie's been hiding his report card.
25:10He was failing everything.
25:13What exactly is going on with this kid?
25:22I was absolutely, totally furious that my jewelry was in Jamie's drawer.
25:28That's it.
25:29I've had it with this kid.
25:30If discipline is what he's looking for, he's absolutely going to get it.
25:36Why are you going through my drawers?
25:38What are these doing in your drawer?
25:42Whatever.
25:43Jamie, what is going on with you?
25:45I'm out of here.
25:48Come back here, Jamie.
25:51Jamie.
25:52Jamie.
25:53Jamie.
25:54Jamie.
25:55Jamie.
25:56Jamie.
25:57Jamie.
25:58You stole from me, Jamie.
25:59You stole from me, and you lied to me.
26:00Yeah, I guess I did.
26:01Bad, bad Jamie.
26:02Talk to her like that?
26:03Shut your mouth, Lloyd.
26:04You might embarrass yourself in front of my mom.
26:05All right, stop it.
26:06Just stop it right now.
26:07Mom, what did I do?
26:08All right, that's it.
26:09Go on upstairs.
26:10I'm tired of looking at you.
26:11Go.
26:12Go on.
26:13This relationship completely turned on a dime in less than three months.
26:44What is going on here?
26:48Is this seriously, seriously all going on right now?
26:52I don't have any control of this.
26:54I hate the idea of stealing, but sure enough, I did it.
26:57It just freaked me out so much.
26:59I cannot figure out why.
27:00Constant negative, negative, negative, negative.
27:02This is completely out of my hands.
27:08Well, maybe it is just me.
27:10Maybe I am a bad person.
27:14My, this has to die.
27:20My husband said that I shouldn't overreact.
27:23I didn't agree.
27:24This was not Jamie.
27:25This was not the way he is.
27:44There wasn't any explanation of why that book came flying down the stairs.
27:48I started putting things together, saying,
27:51okay, there is something paranormal going on in my house.
27:57Stacy suspects Jamie is the focus of a poltergeist.
28:14Almost without exception, poltergeists center on pubescent youth.
28:21The theory holds that intense but repressed emotions trigger psychokinetic energy.
28:27It would explain the behavior, the book flying through the house, the lip smacking.
28:32It would explain a lot of things.
28:34Thankfully, poltergeists rarely last longer than a month or two.
28:38Thankfully, poltergeists rarely last longer than a month or two.
28:42I figured it's something that's going to be so short-lived that I could deal with it and we can move on.
28:54The next evening.
29:01Okay, listen, I think I understand what's been going on.
29:06I think you've been the target of a poltergeist.
29:11What?
29:12It would explain a lot of the things that have been going on around here, like the weird noises, stuff like that.
29:23Oh, my God!
29:25Mom, what's happening?
29:26Oh, my God! What is that?
29:32Mom!
29:33Oh, my God!
29:34Mom, make it stop!
29:36Mom, make it stop!
29:38I'm trying to get it to stop!
30:04Hello, you've reached the voicemail of John Tapis. Please leave a message.
30:20John, pick up. It's me, Stacy.
30:23John, are you there?
30:27Look, um, John, there's something attacking Jamie.
30:31I need you.
30:34I'm really scared.
30:48The next morning, in Connecticut, Zaphos gets Stacy's message.
30:54Am I very concerned about Jamie? Absolutely.
30:57This is a very personal situation. They're my friends. They're like family.
31:05He's been like this ever since you last in town.
31:08And with all the noises and stuff flying around, just everything pointed to a poltergeist.
31:15Jamie is the right age.
31:17Yeah, and last night these scratches just appeared on his chest.
31:22That's no poltergeist.
31:24She just looked right up at me and she says, this is what I didn't want to hear. This is what I didn't want to know.
31:31Stacy, what happened in that cemetery?
31:34Um, I just let Jamie mess around with those dousing rods.
31:41I thought they were harmless.
31:43Far from it. Those occult relics are a trap.
31:46By playing with the dousing rods, he opened up the doors where something actually came in and attached to him.
31:53Mom?
31:58Honey, I told John everything.
32:00What?
32:01Would you mind showing me the scratches?
32:03Why?
32:04Jamie, please.
32:12Oh my God.
32:13He lifted his shirt up and he had brand new scratches. Jamie was being tormented.
32:20Jamie, um, I think a demonic entity has attached itself to you.
32:27It's the only explanation for what's been happening.
32:29We were definitely dealing with something on a demonic level.
32:32It's main objective is to wear the person down. It wanted him to cross over. It wanted to gain control of his soul.
32:40So is this just going to keep going on and on?
32:43It might. It depends on you.
32:47John thinks you need an exorcism.
32:51There's a priest in Connecticut who can help.
32:54No.
32:56Jamie, it's the only way.
32:57Stop. Stop.
32:58Jamie, it's the only way.
32:59Stop. Stop.
33:00It's the only way.
33:01Stop.
33:02No.
33:03You try to comprehend what is going to happen from, like, movies you saw.
33:08Exorcist, the girl throws a puke afterwards, like, she's, like, scarred up and stuff.
33:16It's like, do I really want that?
33:19Without Jamie's consent, there can be no exorcism.
33:28It's a very weird feeling, thinking about what's going to happen.
33:34It was overwhelming.
33:36Jamie, I love you more than anything in this world.
33:40Please, son, for me, come to Connecticut.
34:18That weekend, Stacy and Jamie drive to Connecticut for the exorcism.
34:24I was afraid for Jamie.
34:27I was afraid of what they were going to do, but I knew that this was the only way.
34:31This was the only answer that we had.
34:36Zaphos has arranged for the exorcism to take place in the home of Father Larry Elwood, an independent priest.
34:44To perform the ancient rite, Larry will follow the Roman ritual, a Catholic text from the 6th century.
34:52Basically, the ritual is an expression of prayer, proclaiming the power and the healing and deliverance power of God.
35:00His wife, Debbie, has the gift of discernment.
35:06During the exorcism, she crosses the threshold separating the physical world from the spiritual.
35:14I think they're here.
35:16I will feel what the person is going through.
35:19I can also see and hear the demon.
35:23I am witness to both sides.
35:27Jamie was very nervous, very scared, very apprehensive.
35:31I think it's kind of scary for him to accept that I was just as scared as he was.
35:37Jamie, please sit down.
35:39Once the exorcism begins, Zaphos knows the demon will feel threatened.
35:44Whatever happens, I need you to keep your distance.
35:47I understand.
35:49He fears the demon could lash out at Stacy through Jamie.
35:53You secure his left side, I'll secure his right.
35:55When a demonic presence enters the room, I feel very nauseous.
36:00My skin seems to crawl.
36:03Despite the pain, Debbie must focus on discerning the demon's name.
36:09Demons don't like to be recognized or acknowledged.
36:12By using their name, we are getting power over the demon.
36:17Larry opens the ritual with the litany of the saints.
36:21Lord, have mercy.
36:23Have mercy on us.
36:25Christ, have mercy.
36:27Have mercy on us.
36:29God, the Father in heaven.
36:31Have mercy on us.
36:33God, the Son, Redeemer of the world.
36:35Have mercy on us.
36:37God, the Holy Spirit.
36:39Have mercy on us.
36:50The end.
37:07An hour into the exorcism, Stacy fears for Jamie.
37:12His facial features started to change.
37:14He almost looked like a different person.
37:16Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
37:18you who cast the most evil tyrant into the depths of hell for eternity,
37:22you who sacrificed your only son,
37:25that he might crush this venomous serpent.
37:27I've almost got a name.
37:29Concentrate.
37:32Holy and most merciful Father,
37:34who has sent you for all here and saved this child
37:37by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the last judgment of God,
37:40hear my command.
37:42Tell me your name.
37:45Holy and most merciful Father,
37:46we beseech you.
37:48Debbie psychically steps into Jamie's head.
37:51The entity was trying to stop the ritual
37:54through this vision that Jamie was seeing.
37:57Crush the beast.
37:59Jamie thought he was lashing out at Larry and at me,
38:02but that never happened.
38:04Crush the beast.
38:06Love is very unholy spirit.
38:09Here it is.
38:12I command you to retire.
38:14Vanquished by the power of the Holy Spirit.
38:17Defeated by the sign of the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
38:20This is the name I've been getting.
38:22Irritum, nothingness, worthlessness, vanity.
38:29Larry can now target the demon with its own name.
38:33Behold the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
38:36Tremble before its power, evil enemy.
38:39Flee from its ancient majesty and might.
38:41Jesus is our strength and hope.
38:52In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
38:55I beseech you.
38:57Give me strength against the unclean spirit.
38:59Delight in tormenting the child of your creation.
39:01Amen.
39:12Is he free?
39:15Still.
39:21I exorcise the invading enemy.
39:24I exorcise thee, spirit of nothingness.
39:27In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
39:31Be uprooted and banished from the child of God.
39:34He who commands you,
39:36be uprooted and banished from the child of God.
39:39He who commands you, unclean spirit,
39:42is he who plunged you from heavens and reefs
39:45and into the fires of hell.
39:56Jamie.
39:58Jamie.
40:00Jamie.
40:02Jamie.
40:03Jamie.
40:05Oh, no.
40:07Oh, no, honey, don't be sorry.
40:09Oh, no, don't be sorry.
40:15It's okay. It's okay.
40:18The hate just slowly just went away, went away.
40:21And then I realized I was done.
40:23The whole thing was done.
40:34In the months following the exorcism,
40:39Jamie's life returns to normal.
40:42This period of my life was just so incredibly depressing.
40:48Everything's better now.
41:04Stacey can't help thinking back to the night
41:08that she let Jamie tag along at the cemetery.
41:12Do I regret it? Yes, I do regret it.
41:15I wish I could go back and leave Jamie home.
41:18But almost in a way, it made us grow stronger.
41:22Now, it's almost like there's this unspoken bond between us
41:26because we've been through it together
41:28and we got past it and we'll move on for the future.
41:33Make a run.
41:36Sorry to drag you, Jamie.