The Traumatic Toy

Robert The Doll

Photo Caption: Robert the Doll
Photo Credit: Confessions of Horror Freak

Hello everyone and welcome to Creepy Cafe, where I tell you a creepy story while we drink together a cup of coffee. 

Today's drink is a flat white because just like today's story it is a weird absurd obsession. 

The Chucky doll, from the cult classic horror movie Child's Play, is an iconic character of a children's toy turned into a psychotic killer. But, what most people do not know is that the beloved character's origin story is based on a real-life terrifying legacy of a doll known ass, Robert. 

Who is Robert? 

Photo Caption: Robert Eugene Otto with his Sister
Photo Credit: All Things Interesting

Robert the doll stands at only three feet tall, dressed in a sailor’s outfit with a lion on his side. Robert is a doll possessed by a vengeful and demonic spirit. His simplistic looks might deceive many people, but his disturbing tale is properly one of the creepiest and most twisted tales in paranormal stories today. Robert was given as a young boy by his mother. The doll was anything but what the boy expected it to be. The doll would later on go and commit heinous acts at every opportunity he gets. This doll was named after the owner, Robert Eugene Otto.

Note: Robert, the human, will be referred to by his middle name, Eugene. Robert, the Doll, will be referred to as Robert to avoid confusion. 

Shortly after having the doll, both boys became inseparable. Eugene would treat the doll as a part of their family. He also talked about Robert as an actual person, giving him a place at the family dinner table. He would pretend to feed the doll. His family was not concerned, and everything seemed normal. But soon, things a very dark turn soon.

The Start of the Haunting

Photo Caption: Robert and his lion companion
Photo Credit: Paranormal Investigator  

Eugene would have entire conversations with the doll. During this time, his family would hear a voice replying to their son. They thought that Eugene was talking to himself. But, the voice was much deeper than any voice he could produce. Eugene and Robert would sleep in the bed and on multiple occasions Mr. and Mrs. Otto would hear a curdling scream in the dead of the night. When they would enter the room, they would find furniture thrown all over the room, their son is sound asleep, and the doll would be in the corner sitting staring at his owner. Their son blamed the doll for what happened.

Right afterward, the family swore to their entire town that they saw the doll move around the house and even heard it creepily giggle. Even some of their neighbors, glancing in the windows, claimed that they saw the doll stare at them. 

Otto Family had Enough

The Otto family was fed up and decided to lock Robert the doll in the attic, and they left him there for years. But, this is not where the terror stopped, and he would often resist his assigned prison. A family friend that visited Otto’s home claimed to hear footsteps and evil, wicked laughter in the attic above.

The Origins of Robert the Doll

Many historians and paranormal investigators believe that Robert the doll was created with the power of voodoo. The Otto family owned a plantation and had many slaves who worked on their property. Mrs. Otto was reportedly cruel to the slaves. One day, she caught the servants practicing black magic, and she fired them instantly. As a form of revenge, one of the servants gave Robert to her son after using voodoo to possess it with an evil spirit. 

The Fascination Never Stopped

Photo Caption: Portrait of the Ottos
Photo Caption: Paranormal Historian 

As Robert grew older, his odd fixation with his childhood never went away. After Mr. Otto passed away, he inherited the family home. He settled in his childhood home with his wife, Ann. Eugene later became a well-known artist. Despite his terrifying experiences, he could not help but reunite with his favorite doll. His obsession with his doll grew rapidly, which his wife hated. Robert the doll frightened Ann to the core, and she could not stand being his sinister and wicked presence. Despite his wife’s phobia, he would place the doll in their bedroom, and he would paint daily with his doll by his side. His weird love for the doll created tension between him and his wife.

Eugene started acting more and more strange and would have uncontrollable mood swings. These mood swings ranged from insane madness and range to his normal self in less than a few minutes. This took a toll on their marriage as he would often be very abusive; physically, mentally, and emotionally. After these episodes, when he would return to his normal state, he would not remember what happened and blame it on his doll. 

The Rebirth of Robert

Photo Caption: Robert in the Martello Museum in Florida
Photo Credit: Ripley's

Eugene passed away in 1974. His wife shortly sold the house to new residents and the dreadful process started all over again. One of the new residents, a 10-year-old little girl, found Robert in the attic. The girl took a liking to him, and the nightmares began. That caused a lot of traumatic and horrific accidents to occur to her and her entire family.

This resulted in the family sending him to the Martello Museum in Florida, where he remains to this day. He is kept in a glass box in the basement of the main building. He is often visited by skeptics and believers alike. It is said that people who disrespect him suffer from near-fatal experiences or many misfortunes. Next to his box, there is an apology box next to him, where numerous people send letters for crossing his boundaries or wronging him. 

Tune in to the next blog for another creepy story and another cup of coffee.  Have a safe spooky day!