Privately Owned Residence - Wausau, Wisconsin

 

Synopsis

Our organization was contacted by the minister of a local church in October 2017. The minister stated he had a parishioner that was experiencing activity in their home and was requesting that the minister perform a house blessing. Unsure of the activity and if it would be safe, the contact information for the parishioner was provided to us so we could ascertain further information. I spoke with the client on the phone and communicated via email. An interview questionnaire was sent to the client to complete. The history of the home’s location was researched. No information was available if there were any other claims of hauntings at the location prior to our client purchasing the property.

The land where the client’s home stands was originally purchased by Miller, Kiefer and Ringle to be sold off as lots. The current home was build in 1883 by a family of German immigrants. They built the home and eventually sold the property to their son and his wife who lived there until 1985 when the home stood vacant for a time. Several families lived in the home after 1985; the home was used as a multiple family residence for may years as well. Our client purchased the home as a single family residence in 2015. Our client resides in the home with her husband and three children.

 

Paranormal Activity Reported

Notes were compiled from various emails, phone calls and an interview was conducted with the client prior to the investigation on November 4, 2017. The following activity was noted as occurring in the home and is listed below:

• ·        Feelings of being watched

• ·        Unusual sounds heard in the home

• ·        Noises heard in the walls

• ·        Toy hanging in baby’s crib turned on by itself

• ·        Lamp in the master bedroom turned off, candle that was lit was blown out and found on opposite side of the bed.

• ·        Sound of footsteps in the upstairs hall

• ·        Client has feeling of being touched

• ·        Apparition of an old man sitting in a chair located in a main floor bedroom currently used as a playroom

• ·        Smells of something burning/chemical smells downstairs

• ·        Lights upstairs will flicker on and off

 

Investigation

The WPRS investigated the residence on Saturday, November 4, 2017 from approximately 7:00pm to 2:00am. Investigators Blaschka, Sczygelski, von Gnechten and Spialek were present. We arrived at the client’s property and she gave us a tour of the home explaining where the above activity took place. After the tour was complete, the client and her family left so that we could conduct the investigation.

Basic equipment used during the investigation included infrared and full spectrum cameras, digital voice recorders, Tri Field Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) meters, Geiger counter, REM-Pods and infrared/ambient thermal probes.

We obtained temperature, EMF readings and radiation readings as well as prepared a sketch of the home’s floor plan. Many infrared and full spectrum photographs were taken in various areas inside the home. Temperatures were between 67 and 72 degrees F, with EMF readings ranging from 0.5 to 9.0 Milligauss. Geiger counter readings were low with no notable measurement. During the collection of our base line readings we found no anomalous EMF or temperature variances that could not be explained reasonably. The only reading that was of concern were near the baby’s playpen in the parent’s bedroom. The toy that turned on by itself registered an 8.0 - 9.0 Milligauss reading. It is possible that high field is not paranormal but manmade.  

After our base readings were collected we formed into a group to perform EVP sessions in the upstairs bedroom shared by the client’s two older children. We also performed an EVP session in the master bedroom area/upstairs hallway, the small back bedroom where the baby slept before moving to parent’s bedroom and the playroom on the main floor.  All of the team used digital voice recorders to try to collect audio evidence of paranormal activity (Electronic Voice Phenomena or EVP.) We used two Rem-Pods during the investigation. A Rem-Pod was placed on the recliner in the playroom during the balance of the evening. A second was placed in the baby’s playpen in the master bedroom. During our EVP session in the boy’s bedroom the Rem-Pod in the play pen alarmed once. It did not seem to react to any of the questions we asked. We also placed an EMF meter in the kitchen and carried another with us to areas of EVP sessions for the balance of the evening. These meters periodically alarmed as well with no apparent correlation to our EVP sessions. We were able to determine that the meter would alarm when the fan for the furnace would engage.

Upon later review of all our EVP evidence we found nothing of interest. We reviewed our Full Spectrum and Infrared photographs and found nothing paranormal in them.

During the investigation we spoke out loud several times to whatever presence may happen to be in the home. We relayed the fact that the client that resides at the property does not want to be disturbed any further. We set down ground rules that need to be followed and made it absolutely clear that nothing is allowed to be in the same room when the client is present. We asked that the presence leave the premises as it is no longer welcome there.

 

Conclusion and Recommendations

Upon review and consideration of all the claims made by the client we feel that it may be possible that the client has been experiencing some paranormal activity. However no definitive evidence was obtained to prove or disprove the claims. Many of the sounds that the client reported to us were heard by the team during the investigation, most of which were reasonably explained natural noises the home makes. We have not been able to explain the touching sensation that was felt by the client. The burning/chemical smell was not experienced by any of the investigators, but the home is located in close proximity to a dry cleaning business. This could account for chemical smells being noticed in the home. The evidence lends some credibility to what has been happening at the site but it is by no means proof positive of a haunting. The activity that has been described by the client has not been harmful but rather unsettling. It is our hope that through the use of communication and setting ground rules in the apartment that it will render anything present to become peaceful. We may return in the future at the client’s request. The client may reach out to her minister to perform a blessing of her home in the hopes that will help eradicate any feelings of unease.

 

*Any use or reproduction of this documentation is prohibited without the sole permission of Ann Sczygelski or the WPRS.