What is Annabelle? Why does the Annabelle doll scare people?

The Raggedy Ann doll - Annabelle - is associated with horror legends and folklore. What is Annabelle? Why does Annabelle scare people so much?

The Raggedy Ann doll, or Annabelle , which is associated with horror legends and folklore, has caused an internet frenzy after rumors of its disappearance coincided with a fire at the resort. Although officials have confirmed the Annabelle doll is safe at the Warren Occult Museum, the incident has proven that its legend lives on amid the chaos.

This week, the internet exploded after rumours began circulating that the infamous 'Annabelle' doll - said to be haunted - had disappeared. The panic began after people linked the doll's disappearance to a fire at the historic Nottoway Resort in Louisiana. The doll was believed to have been part of a travelling paranormal exhibit at the time.

Social media was quickly flooded with memes, conspiracy theories, and terrifying speculation. But it didn't take long for those rumors to be quashed.

Officials with the now-closed Warren Museum of the Occult in Connecticut — where the real Annabelle doll has been kept since the 1970s — have confirmed that the doll is safe and hasn't gone anywhere.

The story behind the Annabelle doll

Annabelle is no ordinary childhood toy. The original was a doll named Raggedy Ann, given to a medical student in 1970. According to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the doll began acting strangely, leading them to believe it was haunted. A psychic told the doll's owner that it was the spirit of a girl named Annabelle—but the Warrens later said it was something much more sinister.

The Warrens eventually took the doll and locked it in a glass case inside their Occult Museum, where it remained until the museum closed due to zoning issues.

From haunted object to pop culture icon

Annabelle became world famous after appearing in The Conjuring film universe . In the film, she is portrayed as a creepy porcelain doll, much more terrifying than the real doll — a change made by the filmmakers to add to the scare factor.

However, the real version of Raggedy Ann still retains its creepy reputation, especially among fans of the supernatural. Whether people believe the story or not, the doll has become a combination of folklore, horror movie icon, and internet obsession.

This week's scare seems to have started when news of the resort fire hit social media around the same time the Annabelle doll was said to be on tour. It didn't take long for people to connect the dots—or jump to conclusions. Theories about the doll escaping or causing chaos have popped up on TikTok and X, with reactions ranging from pranks to actual prayers to even a mock exorcism.

Where is Annabelle doll?

Despite all the speculation, the doll is still right where it belongs. Dan Rivera of the New England Society for Psychical Research (NESPR) posted a video from inside the Warren Occult Museum, showing Annabelle safe inside a glass case.

Even though the story has been debunked, it's clear that the legend of Annabelle is still very much alive — and it doesn't look like that fear is going away anytime soon.