Haunted Dolls of Salem: From Poppets to Possession

Posted: 08.12.2025 | Updated: 10.10.2025

Demons danced in the forest, luring Salem’s innocents into damning pacts that cursed the Massachusetts village. Young ladies served as vessels for the Devil’s bidding, imbued with the magic of witchcraft. Just as the Devil used them, these girls manipulated an oft-overlooked element of the city’s dark and deadly history: dolls. 

A far cry from contemporary wholesome toys, these were the tools of a sinister and timeless evil. From the desecrated poppets discovered during the Salem Witch Trials to the spirit-bound haunted figurines of today, the sleepy village has a deep and unsettling relationship with dolls. Even over 300 years later, haunted figures from Salem like Caroline continue the devilish legacy in chilling ways. Book a tour with Salem Ghosts to learn more about Salem’s haunted history.

What role did poppets play in the Salem Witch Trials?

On June 10, 1692, nearly 12 years after dodging unfounded accusations of witchcraft, Bridget Bishop stood with a noose around her neck. The court had spoken, claiming there was more than enough evidence to condemn her for witchcraft. One of the most damning pieces was the discovery of a poppet stuck with pins hidden in her walls. 

While Voodoo dolls are often represented as nefarious, they were benevolent tools used to heal and manifest positive energies. The malicious practices of sticking dolls to inflict pain actually stemmed from European witchcraft. Witches stabbed crudely-sewn poppets with needles as an act of revenge, a practice Bishop was accused of partaking in.

Poppets were a common element of the trials, having also been responsible for the conviction of Salem’s last witch, Elizabeth Johnson Jr. In terms of evidence, dolls were among the only tangible proof presented to the judges. 

Haunted Dolls and the Evolution of Spirit Vessels

From May to July 2025, an old Raggedy Ann doll toured several historic East Coast cities. Making stops in notoriously haunted locations like Gettysburg and New Orleans, the doll brought with her a wave of chaos. 

Annabelle is one of the world’s most infamous haunted dolls, with stories of her spectral antics dating back to the 1970s, when the late paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren took ownership. However, she is merely an example of how dolls evolved over time from spiritual tools to actual vessels for the dead. 

A little over 100 years ago, dolls served a unique purpose that may have kicked off this evolution. During the Victorian age, when a child passed, it wasn’t uncommon for their parents to commission a full-sized wax doll to be used as an effigy. 

The doll was crafted to look like the child and dressed in their clothing. Most notable was the hair, which was taken from the decedent. It was customary to place the mourning doll atop the child’s grave, though some parents found it difficult to separate themselves from the wax figure. The concept of the mourning doll vanished for a spell, but reemerged in the 1990s with Reborn dolls. Reborns are a similar concept with a few advancements to achieve an eerie level of realism. 

Dolls as Haunted Objects

A doll that looks unsettling, like a Reborn, may simply be an inanimate object. However, since the earliest days of paranormal investigating, dolls have been a focal object. Researchers have found that dolls can be used as trigger objects, or items that may incite spectral activity. 

They may move on their own or register on the investigator’s equipment, like an EMF, or electromagnetic field, meter. A prime example of the latter is Robert the Doll, a still-terrifying terror locked away in the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida. 

Robert’s story is not unlike Annabelle’s, having been given to a child before terrorizing those around him. Some researchers who have visited Robert reported unusual EMF readings, a sign that a ghostly energy may exist within the doll. 

The Annabelles and the Roberts of the world, as well as the lifelike mourning and Reborn dolls, trigger pediophobia, or a severe fear of dolls, and have sparked the Hollywood trend of haunted doll movies. From more extreme examples like Child’s Play, where a serial killer’s spirit possesses the infamous My Buddy doll, to the creative spin on Annabelle’s deadly antics in the Annabelle franchise, haunted dolls have solidified their space in horror entertainment.

All of this is not to say people should be suspicious of every doll they come across. Many dolls are run-of-the-mill child companions. There just happen to be poppets like Caroline, Salem’s porcelain horror, and the charged dolls of US Ghost Adventures Haunted Collection, Voodoo Rue, and Lily.

Voodoo Rue: Mischievous and Unpredictable

As unsettling as Voodoo Rue may appear, this handcrafted poppet is anything but malevolent. As a showpiece for US Ghost Adventures Haunted Collection, Voodoo Rue does have some tricks tucked away within her tattered cloth body, which is fashioned after folk poppets. Like a traditional Voodoo doll or poppet, Rue can be stuck with the included ritual pins not to cause harm, but to help heal.

For as much good as she can do, Rue does have a mischievous side. There’s a mysterious energy to her, as she’s been known to drain the batteries of phones and other nearby electronics. This energy has even been evidenced by paranormal investigators, who have recorded EMF spikes and exhibited lightheadedness, a common symptom of high levels of electromagnetic fields.

Voodoo Rue is handcrafted with intent, strengthening her bond with the spirit realm. It’s this connection that makes her a powerful ritualistic tool and a symbol of spiritual significance.  

Lily: The Watcher in the Room

Not unlike Voodoo Rue, Lily Host A Ghost is a haunting vision, her piercing yellow eyes seemingly penetrating the soul. Whereas Rue can be used for good, Lily is for those really begging for a spectral encounter. 

As a key part of the US Ghost Adventures Haunted Collection, she’s a standout presence known to make people feel uneasy or even nauseous. As if her appearance weren’t startling enough, the doll has been known to move or change facial expressions to match the mood of whatever spirit lies within. 

So, why bring Lily into an otherwise peaceful home? Ironically, to keep that peace. Lily’s off-putting nature doesn’t just work on the living. The white-faced doll can also drive away darker entities and malicious haunts. She’s a fantastic accompaniment during Halloween, when the veil that divides the realms of the living and the dead lifts, allowing all manner of spooky fiends to roam freely. 

What or who haunts Lily is unknown, and maybe it’s best left that way.

Caroline: Salem’s Most Documented Haunted Doll

One of Salem’s most notorious dolls is Caroline, a porcelain figure of mysterious origins. Just as elusive as her beginning is her current whereabouts. The doll’s last known owner died in 2006, and no one has come forward since to say they are in possession of the infamous doll of Salem. Nobody knows who her first owners were, either, as she was purchased in an antique shop many moons ago.

As Caroline passed from owner to owner, one thing remained consistent. They all took very good care of her, making sure to keep her clean and feeling cherished. It’s possible they were trying to appease one of the three entities trapped within. Each spirit had a different personality, and at least one loved to play tricks by hiding household items and placing candles in the oven. 

Investigators were brought in to assess the haunting and walked away with electronic voice phenomena (EVP) of whispers and low temperature readings. There’s no confirmation as to what the whispers said, but if Caroline’s second owner, John, is to be believed, they’re wishes of good luck.

Why Dolls Still Scare Us

While horror icons like Chucky may play on the fear of dolls, they’re not the reason many suffer from pediophobia or even feel uneasy when around poppets and porcelain-faced figures. At the core of that fear, particularly for very lifelike dolls, is the uncanny valley effect. Uncanny valley refers to the uncomfortable feeling when perceiving something artificial with human-like qualities. It’s common amongst advanced robots and, of course, dolls. 

Then there’s the spiritual significance of dolls throughout history. Their use as implements of torment, as suggested in the case of Bridget Bishop, and as vessels for lost souls and dark entities, has fed into the notion that dolls are evil and something to fear. 

They can absorb the negative energy of a traumatic event or even siphon a bit of life from an individual they resemble. It all lends to an eerie mysticism that, under the right conditions, can make them appear sinister. Yet, still, there’s a fascination with that fear that continues to draw us to unsettling dolls like Annabelle or even Voodoo Rue.

Want to Own a Haunted Doll?

For as much as we may fear or feel uncomfortable around dolls, there’s something that draws us to them. Those like Voodoo Rue and Lily present an opportunity to test your nerves around haunted dolls without the dangers associated with spectral legends like Annabelle and Robert. 

Every doll in our collection has been tested by paranormal investigators. They all come with their own documented history and are ready for adoption by collectors, researchers, or anyone brave enough to keep one nearby.

Explore our website to discover our most haunted dolls, each with unique traits and personalities. Consider Lily if you feel a heaviness in your home to frighten away any lingering haunts or make use of Voodoo Rue’s healing properties to provide relief to yourself or someone close to your heart.

Haunted Salem

Salem’s legacy with dolls begins with poppets and ends with documented hauntings. While most people remember the trials, few remember the tools that helped start them. Dolls were part of that story. Today, haunted dolls like Caroline, Rue, and Lily continue it.

Whether you believe in spirits or simply enjoy the thrill of the unknown, haunted dolls remain one of Salem’s most haunting traditions. If learning about Salem’s haunted side sounds like your idea of a good time, be sure to book a ghost tour with Salem Ghosts today and step into the city’s haunting past. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Salem hauntings.

Sources:

• https://www.hauntjaunts.net/witchy-wednesday-truth-behind-voodoo-dolls/

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/19/last-salem-witch-exonerated-middle-school/

• https://heritagemuseumoc.org/from-manicured-to-macabre-a-brief-history-of-dolls/

• https://www.historyofdolls.com/doll-history/history-of-reborn-dolls/

• https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/story-behind-robert-the-doll

• https://store.usghostadventures.com/products/voodoo-rue-handcrafted-collectors-voodoo-doll-authentic-protection-tool-pins-included?srsltid=AfmBOopu9evcTl5qjURDWAhw1ugyV1-ODJVaMT2gCZIV0qvQmCV-VvZU

• https://usghostadventures.com/lily/

• https://store.usghostadventures.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooxhCuASzT-x8PR43GhXvxyblQV9SMucjAz8WBDhlSYOHPPt3YS