He was even said to giggle in the middle of the night. After some investigation by the Fort West Martello Museum where Robert resides today, it’s now thought that the doll was never actually intended to be a doll.
That outfit?
She finally donated the doll to the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida. The woman who bought Eugene’s house, Myrtle Reuter, was Robert’s caretaker following the sale of the house. Other stories claim that the doll moved voodoo figurines around the room, and was "aware of what went on around him". “Robert did it.”. Some say that by disrespecting Robert at the museum, they’ve fallen victim to a variety of misfortunes and bad luck. Robert has, over the years, been accused of causing car accidents, relationship breakdown, divorce, death, disease and much, much more. Naturally, he didn’t take particularly kindly to this, and so Robert the haunted doll once more placed demands on Eugene, requesting the Turret Room of the house because “he wanted a room with a view of the street.” Gene spent all of his time in the Turret Room with Robert, painting and talking to his doll, until his death in 1974. The adult Gene was constantly accompanied by Robert much to the distaste of his wife, who is said to have loathed the doll. Many people avoided the house entirely so that they could avoid Robert. Mrs. As a result, she acquired the doll as well. It’s fair to say that Key West, Florida is well-known for being haunted. Staff at the museum claim that Robert has been found in different positions within his case, that footsteps have been heard around the museum at night with no apparent explanation for the noise and that Robert’s expression has been known to change in a from neutral to nasty in the blink of an eye. In 1994, Myrtle donated Robert to the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, FL, where he still resides today. Robert the haunted doll is well-known for being more than a little spooky, but in the beginning, things seemed a little bit more innocent – like any other childhood friendship between a boy and his toy. It sits only a half block from the popular Duval Street and Old Town’s legendary famous restaurants, bars, art galleries and attractions. Furniture could often be found overturned, toys of Eugene’s were often found ripped apart, and when the Otto family entered Eugene’s room, he was found huddled on his bed, petrified. The doll was reportedly manufactured by the Steiff Company of Germany, purchased by Otto's grandfather while on a trip to Germany in 1904, and given to young Otto as a birthday gift. Still other legends claim that the doll "vanished" after Otto's house changed ownership a number of times after his death,[5][8] or that young Otto triggered the doll's supernatural powers by blaming his childhood mishaps on the doll. Oh, and if you’re wondering where Robert got his name? Visitors to her new home didn’t like Robert, and found that he’d appear and disappear at will. According to legend, he was given a doll by his Jamaican nurse that was made in this likeness. The doll's sailor suit was likely an outfit that Otto wore as a child. The couple returned to the Otto family home in Key West to live there until Otto died in 1974. That’s right – Eugene’s full name is Robert Eugene Otto, and soon, the doll ended up with the name Robert, while Otto was simply referred to by his middle name. She allegedly practiced voodoo and devised the doll as a way to get revenge for having been abused by the family. To this doll has been ascribed all kinds of mischief. The walls of Robert’s display are littered with letters from visitors apologising for their behaviour when visiting the museum: they claim that they’ve encountered dreadful misfortune, gotten into accidents, had relationship breakdowns or even experienced death or disease in the family after visiting Robert, and these letters seek to ask his forgiveness.