The Truth about Annabelle

This article is an attempt to set the record straight with regard to the Annabelle story by applying Catholic doctrine and theology on the many claims about supernatural possession , demonic vexation and demonic infestation.  

"Annabelle" is currently in the news because Annabelle, the movie, is in theaters and also because of a man named Dan Rivera, a paranormal investigator.

Rivera was the official handler of Annabelle, a doll that’s rumored to be possessed by evil spirits. Rivera, 54, suddenly died on July 13, 2025 in a Gettysburg Pennsylvania hotel room while on the ‘Devils on the Run’ tour. The cause of Rivera's death seems to be natural but the autopsy results are still out.

The reason this death has made the news is because the doll Rivera traveled with is rumored to be 'possessed'. It has an uncanny track record of bringing about injuries and death to those who come into contact with it.

The tour made a stop in New Orleans, where coincidentally a fire burned down a historic building and a prison break resulted in prisoners escaping. From there Rivera and the doll went to Gettysburg where his untimely death occurred. Was the subsequent death of Rivera also just a coincidence?

The news has generated much excitement from the occult sub-culture that the organizers, the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), are planning on continuing the tour showcasing Annabelle and other haunted items in spite of Rivera’s death.

Sadly, it turns out his death was good for business. It’s also good for the promotion of the newest movie in the Conjuring series titled, Annabelle currently showing in theaters. 

According to the official origin story of the real Raggedy Ann doll called Annabelle, the owner said the 'malicious doll' could move by itself and write child-like messages on paper. Ed Warren recalled that it was through a seance, that its original owners discovered the doll was inhabited by the troubled spirit of a six-year-old girl, Annabelle.

Let's begin with the seance. To conduct a seance as a means of conjuring information from the other side is a big no no. The theological term is divination. The catechism explicitly denounces any form of divinization as a violation against the first commandment and a dangerous flirtation with the opening of unknown doors that may let some evil spirit through. All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. The information gained from evil spirits through a seance is prone to either intentional deception or erroneous and flawed human error or misinterpretation. 

To conclude that the doll was possessed by a human soul of a young girl is problematic. Spirits can attach themselves to objects but they do not possess objects. Human spirits most likely would not be permitted to attach to an object as to make it 'cursed'. God permits evil spirits (to be exact, demons) to tempt, harass, infest, obsess and possess. So this begs the question; did little Annabelle become a demon after death? The human soul, after death, remains a human soul. It does not become an angel or a fallen angel.

Human souls or ‘ghosts’ may be permitted to contact the living with God’s permission in a coincidence, a dream or in some other way usually as a type of consolation for the surviving relatives. But there is nothing in Catholic theology that would suggest that a human soul of a six year old girl would possess a doll or attach itself to any object.* Was the soul of Annabelle lost or stuck in this world? After death the human soul is not lost. It faces Jesus Christ for immediate judgement and then is either in purgatory, hell or heaven. 

It's more likely that the doll Annabelle is an example of demonic infestation. In Catholic demonology, infestation refers to the presence of demonic activity in a particular place or object. A demon may be permitted to attach itself in some way to an inanimate object such as a doll. Though it might be manipulated externally, the doll is not actually possessed. The word we would use is cursed. The demon may deceive people into believing that the doll is possessed. 

Only people can be demonically possessed. “A curse is simply a demon sent to do some harm. . . . Cursed objects are objects that have had the opposite of a blessing done to them. Instead of grace being attached to an object to make it holy, a demon has been attached to the object to make it associated with evil.” (Hauntings, Possessions and Exorcisms, p. 45).

The doll was then given to Ed Warren and his wife who operated a museum of the occult. Ed considered himself a bonafide demonologist. The problem is that Ed’s demonology was void of sound doctrine, the grace of the sacraments and the power of the priesthood as Ed was not a practicing Catholic. When he did bring in a priest on occasion it was ineffective as he was an Episcopalian priest who operates outside of apostolic succession.

Ed was clever. He figured out how to monetize his fascination with the occult into an economic enterprise. He opened up a museum of the occult among other ventures. In fact, before it was shut down for zoning violations, people could go there to see devilish oddities such as the Annabelle doll staring through a glass case.

In an effort to generate interest in Annabelle Ed revealed fascinating stories of the doll attacking its victims through cutting them, stabbing them and running their vehicle off the road.  

Warren said. And when a visiting priest threw her across the room — declaring that no doll is stronger than God — the doll- Devil got even He was right — no doll or demon is stronger than God,  Warren said, ‘But a demon is stronger than a man or a priest’. 

The statement above seems to equate priests with ordinary people. If the priest is a trained exorcist with the sacrament of Holy Orders from the Catholic Church, he would be able to overcome a demon through the rite of exorcism. However, he would be the first to say that he is merely an instrument that God employs and empowers. Certain Catholic priests have been given this power through their bishop because their bishop received the fullness of the priesthood by virtue of apostolic succession. Only the apostles were given the power to drive out demons from Jesus himself as recorded in scripture. So a Catholic exorcist is not just an ordinary guy. In fact, in many cases, after other clergy from other Christian groups have failed in dealing with demonic infestation or possession, usually it is then that a Catholic priest is brought in to carry out an efficacious rite. 

According to Ed, Annabelle had a tendency to give psychic slashes to people she didn't like, drawing blood as if she had used a knife. He also stated that after leaving the Warren house that day, the priest ran his new car into a tree. The last thing he remembered seeing before the accident was an image of Annabelle.

It's true that a demon may be permitted to physically attack a person. There have even been cases where Catholic priests have been physically attacked. They may have made a mistake in preparation or were in some way sloppy with their words and actions during a session and as a result they opened the door to a physical attack. 

A physical attack by a demon is called demonic vexation. According to Dominion by Fr. Chad Ripperger, “Vexations are true and actual aggressions, physical or psychological attacks that the demon works against the person.” There have been cases involving bruising and lacerations especially in the lives of the saints. The demon is permitted to engage in a physical attack to increase the virtue and holiness of the saint. For example, Saint Padre Pio had many such encounters with a demon(s).

The catechism describes the power and purpose of demonic vexation. “The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God’s reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries – of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature- to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but “we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.” -CCC 395

What's the bottom line? Do not become fixated on evil things. Do not let your curiosity regarding the 'hidden things' (occult) lapse into giving permission for evil to enter your life. We already have an uphill battle fighting our fallen nature and actual evil in the world.

We don't need to open forbidden doors to the occult to know that the supernatuaral world is real. We believe the devil and demons are real and that we can take actions to permit their effect on our lives. They can attach themselves to places and objects and possess people whether they are in a state of grace or not. 

Annabelle is proven to have dangerous ties to the occult. It is not just harmless fun. Share this information with those who plan to watch the Annabelle movie and pray for the victims of this and all other demonic curses.

For more information about Annabelle and other fascinating supernatural news stories see Spirit Daily. 

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* Note: Father Chad Ripperger in his book Dominion p. 321-322 does say that there are two schools of thought when it comes to the ability of disembodied human souls possessing other people. He also notes that, in his own experience, it is only human beings who were known to be particularly evil who could then come back to possess people. A young girl would probably not fit this description.