The Ammons House Possession

The case of Latoya Ammons and her family in Gary, Indiana, represents one of the most officially documented possession cases in recent American history. Unlike most possession accounts that rely primarily on witness testimony, this case generated police reports, medical records, and Department of Child Services documentation, with multiple professionals reporting phenomena they could not explain.

Background

In November 2011, Latoya Ammons moved into a rental house on Carolina Street in Gary with her mother Rosa Campbell and her three children. Almost immediately, the family reported strange occurrences: black flies swarming in the winter, footsteps in the basement, wet bootprints appearing on floors, and shadowy figures moving through the house.

The activity intensified over the following months. The children began exhibiting disturbing behavior, with the oldest child allegedly developing a deep voice and speaking in tongues. Family members reported being scratched, thrown, and experiencing levitation.

Medical and Official Documentation

What distinguishes this case is the professional documentation. When Ammons took her children to a hospital, medical staff observed the youngest boy walking backward up a wall and flipping over, landing on his feet. A nurse and a Department of Child Services case manager witnessed this and documented it in official reports.

The case manager, Valerie Washington, wrote in her report that she had witnessed one of the children walk backward up a wall to the ceiling. She later stated she had no explanation for what she saw.

A clinical psychologist initially diagnosed the children with delusional disorder, but he later reversed this assessment after evaluating the case more thoroughly and witnessing unexplained phenomena himself.

Police Investigation

Gary Police Captain Charles Austin investigated the case and reportedly experienced equipment malfunctions, including camera and audio recorder failures, during his visits to the house. He stated publicly that he went from skeptic to believer based on what he witnessed and documented.

Police photographs allegedly showed mysterious figures and shapes that were not visible to the naked eye during the investigation.

The Exorcism

The family contacted Father Michael Maginot, a local Catholic priest, who performed minor exorcisms and eventually obtained permission for a major exorcism from the Diocese of Gary. Over several months, Father Maginot performed multiple rituals.

Following the exorcisms, the family reported that the activity ceased. The children’s behavior returned to normal, and the family moved to a new residence.

The House

The Carolina Street house gained notoriety after the case became public. The landlord, who had purchased the property in 2012, initially reported no problems, but later demolished the house, citing its reputation rather than any experiences of his own.

Assessment

The Ammons case is notable for the quantity and quality of official documentation. Police reports, medical records, and child services documents all contain accounts of witnessed phenomena from professionals who had no reason to fabricate testimony.

Whether the family experienced genuine demonic possession or a shared psychological episode that somehow convinced multiple trained observers remains debated. What is certain is that something occurred in that Gary house that defied the experience and expectations of the officials who investigated it.