The story revolves around a cursed doll named Robert, given to a boy named Robert Eugene Otto by a maid who practiced voodoo magic. The doll allegedly came to life, causing mischief and terror in the Otto household. After years of strange occurrences, the doll was locked away in the attic. However, when Robert Eugene Otto grew up and inherited the house, he brought the doll back down, and the strange events resumed. Eventually, the doll was moved to the Martello Museum in Key West, Florida, where it continued to allegedly move on its own and cause fear. The doll is now confined in a plastic box, and visitors can still see it, along with numerous letters and writings from people who claim to have witnessed its strange behavior.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Robert the Doll story took place in Key West, Florida, at the beginning of the 20th century.
2. A woman from the Bahamas, who worked as a maid for the Otto family, gave a doll to their son, Robert Eugene Otto.
3. The maid had previously been expelled by the Otto family for practicing voodoo magic.
4. The doll seemed sweet and pretty at first, but strange things began to happen after Robert received it.
5. Robert's parents heard a deep voice coming from the boy's bedroom, which seemed to be speaking for the child.
6. The parents also heard a macabre laugh, which they initially attributed to the child imitating voices.
7. Neighbors reported seeing the doll move through the windows of the Otto family's house.
8. Robert became very attached to the doll, even giving it his own name and reserving a chair for it.
9. The parents eventually locked the doll in the attic, but Robert became a man and retrieved the doll years later.
10. After Robert retrieved the doll, strange things began to happen in the house again.
11. The doll would move from place to place, and Robert's wife reported seeing it turn its head and have a sinister expression.
12. Neighbors again reported seeing the doll move through the windows of Robert's house.
13. Robert eventually locked the doll in the attic again, but it was later discovered by a young girl who found it in the attic.
14. The girl reported that the doll could talk to her and laugh, and her parents found her dolls decapitated with the doll sitting motionless in a chair.
15. The girl, now a mature woman, still claims that the doll was responsible for the strange occurrences.
16. The doll is currently on display at the Martelo Museum in Key West, where it has been reported to move and appear in different places.