True Crime Home
This photo prompt is based on an abandoned house in Vermont that I had the chance to explore.
The story attached to it is difficult to shake. According to local accounts, the woman who lived here spent most of her life believing something inside her was wrong. She became convinced at a young age that she was possessed, and that belief followed her well into adulthood.
Years later, while her children were at school and her husband was at work, she contacted her church and asked for help. What followed were weeks of daily exorcisms carried out inside the home.
No one seems to agree on exactly what happened during those weeks. The details become blurry depending on who tells the story. What is known is that she died during one of the sessions.
Instead of calling for immediate help, the pastor and several church members reportedly left the house and contacted her husband. When he arrived, he found his wife gone and a journal that painted a much darker picture of what had been happening behind closed doors.
The family never spent another night in the house. They walked away and left nearly everything behind.
What unsettles me most is how ordinary it all began. Just a family. Kids going to school. A husband going to work. A woman trying to find relief from something she believed was consuming her. Then, somewhere along the way, that ordinary life unraveled completely.
Everyone involved from the church was eventually sentenced to prison.
The house is still standing. Quiet now. Just another abandoned place on a back road in Vermont, holding the remains of a story nobody seems eager to talk about anymore 🕊️
Visiting abandoned places like the Vermont house described brings a hauntingly vivid connection to the true crime stories behind them. I've explored several similar sites where personal tragedies blended with supernatural beliefs created deep unrest. In the case of this Vermont home, the woman’s conviction of being possessed reflects how mental health struggles can be misunderstood and worsened by extreme measures like exorcisms. Her story highlights the importance of compassionate mental health support rather than relying solely on faith-based interventions that may overlook medical needs. From personal urban exploration experience, abandoned homes often tell silent stories through their decay—family photos left behind, personal journals, and everyday items frozen in time. Discovering the journal mentioned adds layers to the mystery, revealing hidden darkness within what seemed like a normal family life. I’ve learned that these abandoned sites attract people interested not just in the eerie ambiance but also in understanding social and psychological factors behind such tragedies. Stories of church involvement in exorcisms gone wrong raise important questions about accountability and the boundary between faith and harm. Ultimately, exploring and sharing these stories serves as a reminder to look closely at the signs of distress in people’s lives, and to seek timely, informed help. The empty house stands as a solemn monument to human vulnerabilities and the devastating consequences when help falls short or is delayed. The peaceful yet unsettling silence of such places carries the weight of untold stories waiting to be respectfully uncovered and learned from.
