Is a demonic doll touring the U.S. to blame for the mishaps inLouisiana? That's what the internet is saying, which has led to a ghost tour company receiving multiple death threats. Ghost City Tours hosted and sold tickets to the public to see Annabelle, the haunted Raggedy Ann doll that inspired the movie "Annabelle," which is a part of the "Conjuring" universe. "It was nice to have our own weird event," said Tim Nealon, the founder, president and former CEO of Ghost City Tours. However, despite the success of the sold-out event, the internet began to blame the escape of 10 inmates from aNew Orleans jailand a fire that destroyed theNottoway Plantationon Annabelle's visit. Ghost City Toursteamed up with "Annabelle's Caretakers," an extension of the now-closed Warren Occult Museum, while they were touring the U.S. with the allegedly haunted doll. The doll was originally on display at the Warrens' Occult Museum, which permanently closed to the public in 2019 after Lorraine Warren, one of the original owners, died, according toAtlas Obscura. Annabelle's tour stopped in several states and cities, including the Ghost City Tours office in New Orleans from May 13 to May 14, where fans of the paranormal were able to visit Annabelle and learn more about her origin story. The event sold out immediately. "It was literally sold out within seconds," said Nealon. "I mean, I felt like it was some big-name concert." While some people took to social media to joke about the coincidence of Annabelle's visit, others didn't think it was a joke at all. "I did not think people were taking it seriously, (because) I kept seeing jokes about it on Instagram and TikTok," said Nealon. "But, I didn't realize people were out here like, actually thinking that this was legit." Some people online are "absolutely convinced that Ghost City Tour is responsible" for the plantation fire and the inmates' escape, according to Nealon. Three days ago they moved Annabelle, one of the most haunted dolls from Monroe, Connecticut to New Orleans, Louisiana and now the largest sugarcane plantation in Louisiana burned down AND 11 inmates in a New Orleans Prison escape. Didn't the Warren's say she should never be movedpic.twitter.com/6FFKbFAmt7 — 𝐀𝐮𝐫𝐚 🕸️ O⅃O (𝟐𝟐-𝟐) (@Tosen_Kaname_)May 19, 2025 People are even sending them death threats. "I could never imagine sending anybody a death threat at all, let alone over a (expletive) haunted doll," said Nelon. Annabelle visited San Antonio, Texas, where the doll was displayed at the annual San Antonio Psychic & Spirit Fest from May 17-18. In 1970, a mom gave her daughter, Donna, a 28-year-old nursing student, the now-infamous doll, according to theNew England Society for Psychic Research, NESPR. She'd purchased Annabelle from a hobby store. Donna and her roommate, Angie, noticed weird paranormal activity happening around the apartment, which began to escalate. Legend has it that the paranormal activity only became worse. The doll was thought to be inhabited by the spirit of a young girl, but Donna soon believed it was actually possessed by something "demonic and inhuman." The doll was later handed over to Ed and Lorraine Warren, a couple famous for collecting paranormal objects and artifacts. Annabelle was put on display in their museum, which was located in Monroe, Connecticut. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Haunted doll Annabelle blamed for plantation fire, prison escape
