A woman from South Carolina was in for a nasty surprise when she heard strange noises from her attic.
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Per a report by ABC back in 2012, Tracy, 41, from Rock Hill, heard noises in her loft and noticed nails poking through the ceiling. She investigated with two of her sons, but they couldn't find anything unusual. However, Tracy was convinced something was wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed when she kept hearing noises and plaster from the ceiling started landing on her laptop.
Tracy heard a commotion upstairs at 2:30 AM and asked her nephew to help investigate. They found her ex-boyfriend hiding upstairs, who reportedly fled the scene. Shockingly, Tracy found cups of urine and feces in the attic, suggesting he had been there for a few days. He had reportedly just got out of prison. It's unclear if the police ever charged him.
It's a chilling case, and sadly, it isn't an isolated one. Back in January, a mom from Michigan found a stranger lurking in her attic. Ashley Strong woke up and immediately thought something was strange as her attic ladder was down. She assumed it was her boyfriend, who works nights, or his son.
Unfortunately, neither of those were correct. Strong reportedly reached the top of the ladder and said something, but she didn't recognize the voice that responded. She quickly rushed out of the house with her daughter when she spotted a hooded figure in the attic. Police charged the unwanted visitor with a home invasion and assaulting an officer.
There's A Term For Living In A Stranger's Attic
I live in a creaky old house and frequently hear bumps at night. It's a scary thought that someone could be living just a few meters above your head, and it even has a name. According to Crime and Investigation, 'Phrogging' is the act of living in someone else's house without their knowledge. It's allegedly called that because people who do it jump from house to house.
It doesn't help that horror movies sensationalize it. For example, I See You from 2019 offers a disturbing portrayal of the phenomenon, with a twist I won't spoil here. While there are reported cases of unwanted guests in attics, they are fortunately pretty uncommon. On a more serious note, if you suspect someone is living in your loft, it's best to let the police deal with it.
