A Good Kid
Raising 5-year-old Charlie was a dream. He rarely cried and was generally a quiet and obedient child.
All seemed fine until one night the voice in his room wouldn't let him sleep.
Sleepless Nights
Jessica was busy preparing lunch for her family when her cellphone rang. It was her son's school who was calling her. The teacher bombarded her with questions regarding her son's sleeping schedule. According to his teacher, he could barely keep his eyes open during the day.
She was so puzzled by what the teacher told her. Something did not feel right.
Won't Let Him Sleep
Jessica and her husband immediately addressed the issue. During lunch they asked their son about how he has been sleeping. What he said in response sent shivers down their spines.
“The little boy doesn’t let me sleep at night,” their son said, while casually eating his sandwich.
Watching The Tapes
What their son shared with them made them feel very uncomfortable. They decided to install a camera in their son's room. They ensured that it was well-hidden, so their son does not feel scared.
They checked the recordings after a few days, and what they discovered left them much more perplexed than they were before.
No Answers
David and Jessica watched the recordings with puzzled expressions. They watched hours worth of footage and found absolutely nothing. Their attempts to try and figure out what was happening were fruitless. It seemed like their son slept peacefully throughout the night.
David had intended to take the camera down at night, but he later thanked himself for not doing so.
Someone Else Speaking
Right before David removed the camera, a voice in his head told him to watch the tape one more time. He went to the living room and what he saw next made his blood run cold. Another child was speaking in his son's room.
David did not know what to make of what he saw, so he called his wife to re-watch the tape with him.
Two Voices
The couple could not believe their eyes. They witnessed another child saying , “I don’t want to sleep. I am not tired”, to which Charlie responds with, “I am tired. So, can you please keep it down?” They were terrified.
“Where is he? Where is the kid?!” Jessica yelled fearfully.
Where Was He
They watched the footage repeatedly, attempting to find the other child, but to no avail. All other alternatives were ruled out. The door was shut, the window closed, and the voice was far too loud to have originated outside of Charlie's room.
They had to do something about this, so they devised a strategy.
Taking Turns
They knew they had to be present in the room in order to catch the trespasser. The parents took turns sleeping in their son's room while the camera was recording.
Nearly a week had passed and they were about to give up. However, on a night they least expected, they heard him speak.
Locating Him
“It’s just you and me again, let’s play!” they heard the child say. Jessica shook her husband awake and said “David! I can hear him!” They sprinted to their son's room. “Where is he?” David asked out of breath.
Once again the child spoke, but this time he was in their sight..
It Was Here All Along
Turning to the side of the table, they saw the baby monitor light up as the child spoke. The parents stood there, puzzled and confused as to how that was possible. If their baby was silently sitting in his crib, who was the child?
David grabbed the monitor and switched it off. As the room went dead silent, they heard the child’s laugh from a distance.
Beyond The Window
Jessica took small but confident strides towards the window and pulled it wide open. They looked at each other, coming to the same realization that the sound was coming from the house next door.
Despite putting the puzzle pieces together, they were far from feeling content. They desperately needed answers.
The Moment of Truth
Charlie’s parents waited till the morning came, and made the much-needed phone call to the company that sold these baby monitors. It turned out that their neighbors had purchased the same baby monitor model, as the frequencies got mixed up, making Charlie hear what the baby next-door would say.
After going back and forth, the company offered Charlie’s parents an offer they could not decline.
The Grand Offer
The company offered the family a full refund on their baby monitor, promised to look into it, and discontinue the model at hand once the malfunction is identified. The couple still felt like that was not enough.
They then took initiative and decided to take it to the public, but they did not anticipate the feedback that they got.
It Was Not All For Nothing
After their story gained popularity on social media platforms, so many other parents spoke up about facing similar issues with the same model. Their story did not only have an impact on other parents, for the company then acted on their statement and later produced an improved model.
It is up to people like David and Jessica to make a difference in the world. You never know who you’re saving when you speak up.