Matt Rife faces a chilling warning as Annabelle draws crowds as a psychic urges visitors not to provoke the infamous haunted doll. The Matt Rife’s Annabelle Plans Raise Fears He Could Be Feeding ‘Evil Energy’ first appeared on The Blast

Annabelle has spent decades at the center of ghost stories, horror movies, and warnings from some of the most famous paranormal investigators in America. 

However, Annabelle’s latest chapter may be her most public yet. Since Matt Rife unveiled the Haunted Warren Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, the infamous artifact has become the centerpiece of a booming attraction drawing visitors from across the country. 

As curiosity about the doll grows, some paranormal experts fear the attention itself could become part of the problem.

Annabelle’s History Is Fueling New Concerns About Public Access

Long before Rife became the legal guardian of the Warren estate and its collection, Annabelle had already developed a reputation that extended far beyond paranormal circles. 

According to accounts documented by Ed and Lorraine Warren and later detailed in Gerald Brittle’s book “The Demonologist,” the case began in 1970 when two nurses reportedly became convinced that an unseen presence had attached itself to a doll in their possession.

The Warrens ultimately removed the doll and kept it under strict containment, believing it was connected to a dangerous entity rather than a harmless spirit. Over the years, stories linking Annabelle to accidents, injuries, and other disturbing incidents only strengthened her notoriety.

That history is why some paranormal believers are struggling with the idea of the doll becoming a major tourist attraction. Rather than remaining hidden away in a controlled environment, Annabelle is now one of the museum’s biggest draws, with visitors actively seeking encounters with an object once treated with extreme caution.

Psychic medium Matt Fraser believes that shift fundamentally changes how people interact with the doll and what it represents. 

“Ed and Lorraine Warren took them seriously and contained them for a reason,” he told the Daily Mail, adding, “When you turn something that was once contained into an attraction, you completely change the relationship people have with it.”

Annabelle’s New Home Has Turned The Doll Into A Major Attraction

The concerns intensified after Rife enthusiastically introduced the museum’s expanded collection to the public. 

Rather than focusing solely on Annabelle, the comedian revealed that the attraction now houses an enormous number of allegedly haunted artifacts gathered from around the world.

“This is significantly bigger and more terrifying than I think any of us anticipated,” Rife said while showcasing the museum. “We have collected over 1000 of the world’s most haunted objects and added them to the Warrens’ already historic collection.”

For Fraser, the issue is not simply that Annabelle is on display. It is the environment surrounding her. He worries that placing the doll among hundreds of other reportedly haunted items while welcoming thousands of emotionally charged visitors creates a situation unlike anything the Warrens originally envisioned.

“And now you’re taking Annabelle and bringing her together with an entire collection of objects that reportedly carry their own histories and energies, all under one roof, while thousands of people continuously walk through that environment,” he said.

According to Fraser, every guest contributes something to the atmosphere. In his words, “Every visitor brings their own energy with them, whether that is fear, grief, curiosity, skepticism or even the desire to provoke whatever might be there.”

Annabelle Visitors Are Being Urged Not To Treat The Doll Like A Challenge

As Halloween approaches and tours continue to sell rapidly, Fraser has shifted his focus to people planning to visit the museum. His advice is less about fear and more about avoiding behavior he believes could invite trouble.

“My concern is that evil energy loves attention,” Fraser explained, further noting, “Dark energy wants to be acknowledged. It wants people talking about it, challenging it, fearing it and feeding it with their attention.”

That belief is why he says he has no plans to visit Annabelle himself. In his view, many visitors approach haunted objects with the wrong mindset, treating them as entertainment or daring them to respond.

“People sometimes think they can walk into these places, challenge whatever is there, laugh about it, ask for signs and then simply walk away. I would never recommend doing that,” he said.

Instead, Fraser recommends entering with clear boundaries and avoiding direct interaction altogether. “Do not challenge Annabelle. Do not ask for a sign. Do not speak directly to these entities. Do not touch anything you aren’t supposed to touch,” he said.

Annabelle’s Public Museum Era Draws Concern From Warren Family Insider

As debate continues over Annabelle’s new life as a major tourist attraction, some of the strongest criticism hasn’t come from skeptics or frightened visitors. Instead, it has come from someone with deep ties to the doll’s history.

Chris McKinnell, Ed and Lorraine’s grandson, publicly questioned the direction Annabelle’s story has taken since Rife became the collection’s legal guardian. 

Speaking on the “Reel Appreciation” podcast in October 2025, McKinnell admitted he wasn’t initially focused on Rife himself. “I’d never even heard of him until he bought it. I didn’t know who he was,” he said. 

Instead, he expressed concern about how the artifacts were being displayed and discussed. McKinnell recalled that when his grandparents allowed people to view the collection, the visits were extremely controlled.

“It was always by special invitation, one or two people, very small groups with specific instructions – don’t touch anything, don’t treat anything with disrespect, do not try to communicate with anything,” he explained. 

His strongest criticism came when discussing the museum itself. “To me, that place is the Chernobyl of the paranormal and it bothers me to no end what can happen,” McKinnell revealed.

The Blast Internal Link Bullets

• Matt Rife came under fire over his social media response to an autistic paranormal investigator.
• Matt Rife faced backlash after a resurfaced interaction with Zendaya reignited criticism of the comedian.
• Matt Rife was slammed over his controversial response to criticism surrounding a joke in his Netflix special.
• Matt Rife sparked mixed reactions after a medical emergency forced him to cancel comedy shows.
• Matt Rife defended Sydney Sweeney by branding critics of her controversial bathwater soap “garbage losers”.

Annabelle’s ‘Missing Doll’ Panic Sent The Internet Into Meltdown

Before the debates erupted over Rife’s museum plans, Annabelle triggered a nationwide social media frenzy after thousands of people became convinced she had somehow vanished.

The panic began in May 2025 when rumors spread online claiming the doll had gone missing while traveling as part of a paranormal tour. 

Decider reported that the situation quickly snowballed into a full-blown internet meltdown, with users across multiple platforms sharing alarming theories about where Annabelle had gone and what her disappearance could mean. Some posts even linked the doll to unrelated disasters and strange events, fueling the hysteria.

One viral social media user captured the confusion by writing on X, “What do you mean, Annabelle, the doll has gone missing??? WHO THE F* LOST HER????”

Others echoed similar concerns as the rumor gained traction. Another widely circulated post claimed, “So the streets are saying after they moved the Annabelle doll out of the Warren museum (when they explicitly said never to move it) she’s now gone missing.”

As the speculation intensified, officials connected to the Warren collection were forced to step in publicly. Dan Rivera of the New England Society for Psychic Research addressed the rumors directly, attempting to put an end to the growing panic.

“Some wild and crazy internet rumours this morning claiming that we lost Annabelle. She/it is NOT lost,” Rivera said while showing the doll safely secured inside its case.

Subsequent reporting confirmed there had never been a disappearance. The doll had simply been traveling as scheduled and was accounted for throughout the tour. Paranormal investigator Ryan Buell later verified Annabelle’s whereabouts and confirmed she had safely returned following her appearances.

The Matt Rife’s Annabelle Plans Raise Fears He Could Be Feeding ‘Evil Energy’ first appeared on The Blast