Lee Daniels‘s latest horror film, THE DELIVERANCE, retells a startling tale based on a true event, the film tells the tale of Ebony Jackson (Andra Day), a single mother who is trying to find work and potentially mend her ties with her family. However, there is never quiet once the heroes move into their new home because creatures begin to stalk them, turning their lives into a nightmare. The film incorporates possession, faith, and mystical elements in an attempt to shield her family from such powerful and malevolent forces.  

Therefore, it is important to note that THE DELIVERENCE is based on a factual narrative that actually occurred in Gary, Indiana. Latoya Ammons and her family’s encounter—often referred to as the Gary Demon House—is the central theme of these cases.

WHO IS LATOYA AMMONS?

Latoya Ammons is a woman whose story startled paranormal investigators as well as the media. In November 2011, Ammons moved into a home at 3860 Carolina Street in Gary, Indiana, together with her mother Rosa Campbell and her three kids. It quickly turned into the protagonist’s worst nightmare rather than a brand-new adventure. The family first began having strange, nightmare-like experiences that they were unable to explain.

After attempting to eradicate the black flies, the family discovered that they were still flying over the porch in December, less than a year after they moved into the home. Such events increased within the house; Rosa Campbell reported hearing footsteps in the basement and hearing some noise coming from the doors. She even claimed to have seen a shadowy, unidentified figure in the living room at night.

The 12-year-old daughter of the Ammons family claimed that she floated on her bed during her sleepover and that the boys’ behavior grew worse every day. An unknown entity was alleged to have grabbed up one of the sons and slammed him across the room, while the other son began growling and screaming.

Finding no assistance from those known traditional methods, they turned to church congregations, and mediums. The family hired a catholic priest, Rev Michael Maginot who after entering the house was convinced that the family was being tormented by evil spirits. He made several exorcisms on Ammons the events which he testified in the church archives. He recorded some of these exorcisms , stating that Ammons had some forms of possession that included vomiting, convulsing and speaking in what the possessed termed as a ‘dead’ mans voice.

They had been recommended to wash the house with bleach, ammonia and the use of crosses made of olive oil. They also lit an altar in the basement and burnt the sage together with sulfur in efforts to ward off the evil spirits. Still, everything got worse as expected. In one such an exorcism, Ammons used to be thrown into violent trembling whenever touched with a crucifix.

On the 19/04/2012 the family consulted Dr. Geoffrey Onyeukwu who recorded the their allegations in their chart but he observed that he was worried by the children’s behaviour. As their guests the boys were reportedly attacked and one of them was physically lifted off the ground and slammed against the wall. They further state that the situation got worse till the hospital staff dialled 911 and thereby DCS was alerted.

The house was also investigated by the Gary Police Department headed by Captain Charles Austin. Some of the complaints that were reported during the visits included faulty equipments, voices being recorded from the unknown, and images appearing on the photographs which cannot be explained. These happenedings which Austin at first did not have faith on the family’s statements came to believe.

Due to concerns over the children’s well-being and the bizarre nature of the case, DCS took the children into protective custody. Psychological evaluations suggested that the children might have been influenced by Ammons’ beliefs or suffering from delusions. However, none of the children or Ammons were diagnosed with a severe mental illness.

WHERE IS LATOYA AMMONS NOW?

In 2014, Latoya Ammons, her mother, and her kids had moved to Indianapolis and she had stopped being terrified of the haunting in Gary. Ammons added in the IndyStar interview that their family had reached a moment of resolution. She still has nightmares about the incident at the “Demon House,” but they have managed to try and move over the traumatic experience. In 2014, Latoya Ammons and Evergreen Media holdings came to an agreement on a film deal, with the goal of creating a film that, under Lee Daniels’ direction, would depict their experiences.

The residence located at 3860 Carolina Street in Gary, Indiana, gained notoriety as “The Demon House” subsequent to the disclosure of Latoya Ammons’ encounter. After learning about Ammons’ account of being possessed by demons, paranormal investigator Zak Bagans—who hosts and executive produces the Travel Channel series Ghost Adventures—purchased the home in 2014. But because of negative energy connected to the house, Bagans chose to demolish it in January 2016 following the completion of the documentary’s filming.

One of the most talked-about recent ghost instances is the one involving Latoya Ammons, whose tale is still being told in various ways today. The events at Gary’s “Demon House” are legendary, whether they are depicted in documentaries, novels, or motion pictures like DELIVERANCE.

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