December 4, 2004
Tampa, Florida
As the SPIRITS final investigation of 2004 proved, it’s not always easy to have a cut and dry answer when it comes to ghost investigation.
This family was different than most. The homeowner who contacted the SPIRITS was very thorough in her investigation of us. Uncertain of what to expect, she asked many questions. Her caution was understandable: she was a parent of two children, and we are a group of individuals who believe in, and investigate, ghosts.
After a long phone conversation, her curiosity was satisfied and the SPIRITS were invited to come and investigate the home.
This family experienced strange phenomena for years, even as they moved in and out of houses across the Tampa Bay area. Some of these include:
*Her daughter, still a young child, was found in the middle of the night sleeping fully clothed in a bathtub of water, only her nose breaking the surface. The homeowner, who worked a night shift, came home to discover her child in the bathroom. Distraught, she quizzed both her husband and son; neither had awakened during the event. The girl, herself, remembered nothing of the experience.
*Each home that they lived in experienced some form of infestation. The first was that of bird mites, something that stumped the exterminators hired to get rid of the pests.
Bees nestled in one house. They called in a beekeeper, and he set up small hives baited to draw the bees, then to move them to a new location. He left and returned several weeks later. The bees were not in the new hives, nor were they in the house. They had mysteriously vanished. The beekeeper reported that this had never happened before.
A third house flooded with spiders. Yet another occurrence had flies that covered the windows in one bedroom. They also disappeared without a trace.
*The homeowner’s mother and daughter reported seeing ghosts in one home.
*In the current house, a mirror, which was stationary for months, suddenly fell over and shattered. A large toolbox rocked off of the dryer it was sitting upon. Light bulbs popped at an incredible rate. Shadow figures appeared, and an invisible hand grabbed her daughter just two days before the SPIRITS came to investigate.
What we discovered was a two-fold answer. The household did have a visiting spirit. He was a handyman who had worked or lived in the proximity of the house. He came and went, often checking on the household because of his own curiosity. He produced several strong orb images, as well as EMF spikes.
The second aspect surprised those present. The family, itself, was a source of energy. In answering the SPIRITS questions, the mother discovered that she was a SLI-der. There was a history of ghost sightings that ran through the family lineage. Also, some of the physical manifestations apparently happened during or after periods of intense emotions. The night the daughter’s hand was grabbed she had an argument with her boyfriend. The mirror fell after an argument between the two. A doorknob turned of its own accord as the mother cleaned up a broken vase her daughter had given her.
The family had an older teenager, preparing for college, and a 13 year old. They had been through several house moves in the past 6 years. Even the family dynamic had changed through divorce. Could some of the phenomena be poltergeist phenomena? Are they channeling excess energies subconsciously?
In the end, only time will tell. The family continues to keep a paranormal diary and the SPIRITS plan to return for a recheck.
Investigation Notes:
Son’s bedroom: 0 EMF, spikes by radio. 69 – 70 degrees in temp; 68 near windows.
I had possible orbs showing up in images along the wall. Dog appeared to be calm, and was sleeping on the bed. Homeowner watched her and occasionally noticed that she growled softly to herself. My batteries died in the digital camera.
Bathroom: 0 EMF, 68 – 72 degrees in temperature. No anomalous energies.
Daughter’s bedroom: 0 EMF except by lights and near sockets. Traceable power lines in walls.
Second set of batteries died. Dog reported growling; David reported a possible EMF spike, but it was uncertain. I got a possible orb on the digital camera, but also noted an animal hair floating in the air.
Master bedroom: 68 – 69 degrees. EMF by light switch and light socket.
Digital camera took two dark photos; reasons unknown. (Camera malfunction?) I caught a possible orb in some of the photographs.
Living room: 1 possible spike near the TV stand; 0 EMF otherwise. 72 degrees in temp.
Noted that there was a small shelf in the living room that had two framed photographs; thought I had an orb image but believe it was caused by glass refraction.
Kitchen/dinning nook: 73 degrees temperature. EMF flat, except near microwave, stove, and refrigerator.
I took two more dark photos. Reasons unknown.
Living room/TV room: EMF flat, 72 – 73 degrees in room. I caught a possible orb image in the living room. The boy’s scooter in the living room also gave off EMF and strange readings. It did not have a battery hook up; uncertain as to why it gave off readings. Took it outside and still got EMF from it. Also noted that it’s a reflective surface.
Outside: 56 degrees. No power lines notes.