Katharina Buczek
Everyone knows about Annabelle, the haunted Raggedy Ann doll that has terrified the public for decades. But have you ever heard of the lesser-known Robert the Doll?
The plush toy is dressed as an unsuspecting little sailor boy but is still undeniably creepy. Robert’s face barely resembles that of a human– with a nubby nose, black and beady eyes, and little nicks all over that resemble scars. He also appears to smirk in a sinister way while clutching his own weird-looking plush dog toy.
Aside from just appearing freaky, though, Robert the Doll is said to be seriously haunted and has actually been credited with causing various tragic events– ranging from job losses and divorces to even broken bones and car accidents.
The haunted plush toy is now one hundred and seventeen years old and has been housed in Keywest, Florida, at the Fort East Martello Museum since 1994.
Robert is stored within a new display case– equipped with UV-filtering glass and humidity control– that was reportedly gifted to the museum by a fan of the doll. But apparently, the luxurious case still does not stop Robert from engaging in acts of evil.
The doll was formerly owned by Robert Eugene Otto, an artist from a prominent Florida family. Otto received the toy as a birthday gift from his grandfather, who reportedly bought it while traveling to Germany. And from Otto’s childhood into adulthood, he and Robert remained strangely close.
“What people really remember is what they would probably term as an unhealthy relationship with the doll. Otto brought it everywhere; he talked about it in the first person as if he weren’t a doll. He was Robert, as in he is a live entity,” explained Cori Convertito, curator of the Fort East Martello Museum.
Apparently, Otto’s bizarre relationship with the doll began right after he was gifted it. As a young boy, he began to blame random events and accidents on Robert.
Of course, this was not completely unusual for a young child to do, though, so most adults in Otto’s life wrote it off as imaginative behavior. But, as Otto grew older, Robert the Doll raised more concerns.
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