It was either an axe murderer, or a little old lady.

Here’s one to file away for this evening’s nightmares.

Someone in a small town in the US has been leaving porcelain dolls on random doorsteps. Here’s the creepy part though (well, the even more creepy part):

THE DOLLS RESEMBLE THE LITTLE GIRLS WHO LIVE INSIDE THE HOUSES.

KTLA 5 News reports:

Eight families in San Clemente have been targeted in a disturbing pattern under investigation by authorities: porcelain dolls have been left at their homes resembling young girls who live there.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Jeff Hallock initially said four families were involved, but later updated that figure to eight families.

Here’s a picture of two of the possible devil spawn:

Oh. God.

OH GOD.

After the dolls were delivered in the dead of night, the parents called the police, who are now investigating the matter.

Here’s the thing though… Everyone is assuming the dolls are a sign of something sinister, like an axe-murderer or a vengeful, murderous ghost.

But what if these dolls were just made by a lonely, little old lady called Maude? What if Maude worked on them for months, as gifts for all the little girls in the neighbourhood? And what if she left them on the doorsteps in the middle of the night as a lovely surprise? And what if now, she’s hiding her house, frightened and embarrassed, because she saw on the news that the POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR HER?

Poor Maude.

The dolls are freaking scary though.

UPDATE: The mystery of the devil dolls has been solved. 

It WAS a nice little old lady!

This from ABC News:

According to a press release issued late Thursday by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the investigation focused on a woman who attends church with many of the families who found the dolls.

“Investigators made contact with the female adult who admitted to placing the porcelain dolls on the porch of the various residences in the community. Investigators have concluded that her motivation was out of goodwill and that she intended it as a kind gesture,” the press release states.

“There will be no further investigation of this case.”

Like Mamamia Rogue on Facebook

Rogue is Mamamia’s space for fun, viral and random content, with everything from feminism to pop culture. We scour the internet so you don’t have to, and bring all the best bits back.