NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ AND OTHER LOCATIONS
THE HAUNTED PERSON PHENOMENON
It may be commonly accepted in paranormal circles that locations or objects may carry the imprint of a
person gone from this life, but is it possible that an individual themselves may be haunted?
It has been theorized after various studies that much poltergeist activity may center around one person,
called an "agent", usually an adolescent and in most cases - but not always - a female. It is theorized that a
release of psychokinetic energy originating from stress or turmoil within the agent may manipulate energy
and matter through the subconscious, enough to move objects or in more extreme cases, create the
appearance of an "entity".
While most skeptics would agree with at least the premise of this theory, pointing out that indeed most
ghostly activity is "all in the mind", how is activity of this nature witnessed by others? In these cases do we at
least accept the notion that the focused mind can in fact move things around.
There are multiple theories that have been put forth as to what makes a person "haunted" to the point
where paranormal activity seems to follow them wherever they might go. One theory concerns the possibility
that the subject may be an "undeveloped psychic" wherein he or she might display characteristics of a
sensitive, but does not realize or accept the possibility or full potential of their abilities. In this scenario, spirit
activity appears to "show itself" to the individual and create the impression it is following them from place to
place.
Another potential explanation given in just general terms, is that some people seem to be "lighthouses"
that attract a particular spirit or spirits. Perhaps because they are very caring and gentle people, or because
they have been chosen as a facilitator, they attract the attention of entities from beyond the grave who
naturally gravitate to them, perhaps looking for their help in some way. Activity that occurs may be similar if
not exactly the same at varying locations or it may be quite different from place to place.
There is also some speculation in terms of the type of entity that seems to have attached themselves to
specific person and why. More radical explanations run from a malevolent spirit that desires to "possess" the
individual or manipulate their behavior to serve some higher purpose or a "curse" placed upon the person by
a group or individual as a form of retribution. In this scenario, a hostile spirit has been asked to attach
themselves to a person in order to cause them or those around them psychological or physical harm.
This brings us to the case of the Batzel family. A seemingly normal, loving family that - beginning in 1971
until the present day - continues to experience frightening activity in their home despite where that home may
be.
THE HAUNTING OF THE BATZEL FAMILY
In 1968, Beth was a divorcee with little money and a young daughter named Lea from her previous
marriage to support. These were difficult times but Beth persevered and eventually met a man named Bob
Batzel with whom she immediately connected and the two began a relationship that culminated in their
marriage in 1971. Bob became a father figure to young Lea and in fact legally adopted her as his own
daughter as soon as the union was "official".
In that same year they moved into a two-family home in New Brunswick, N.J. and all seemed normal as
they began their lives together. It was not long before they all started to witness some very weird activity in
their new home. Hanging lights would begin to swing by unknown means, doors would open and close by
themselves and objects seemed to disappear and turn up elsewhere in the house. While puzzling, much of
the activity was passed off as forgetfulness or a sign of an older home displaying its age.
Karl Schlotterbeck
In time the Batzels began to experience bolder and more sinister occurrences in their house. There
would be extreme temperature changes where certain locations in the home would become unbearably hot.
There also followed a stench of what they described as "rotting flowers" that would permeate the house.
Even more disturbing and frightening was the sight of kitchen utensils and in one case a baby bottle flying
across rooms. The activity became so intense that it placed the Batzels under extreme stress, wondering
what was to happen next and how severe it would be.
Their apprehension was soon validated as they began to be "attacked" by objects around the house,
objects that were seemingly thrown in their direction as if hurled by an unseen force wanting to injure them in
some way. In one particularly disturbing display while Beth was entertaining friends in their home, the bathtub
stopper flew into the group and landed on the floor amongst them. By now the Batzels became the source of
some very unwanted attention from their neighbors who now spoke in whispered tones of the strange activity
going on in their home. The final straw for Bob and Bob however was the sight of a lit cigarette they saw float
down from the ceiling one night. At that point, they realized they needed help from an outside source.
A paranormal group who caught wind of the Batzel's travails approached them and asked if they could be
of some service. Part of their method of treatment would be to conduct a séance in the home in an effort to
make contact with whom or whatever was causing the activity. Having exhausted all other avenues and not
knowing what else to do, the Batzels agreed to allow the group to investigate. The group sat down at the
dining room table and a psychic began to call upon the spirit to explain itself to all present. Beth secretly
taped the session as the psychic began to channel the entity. Here is a partial transcript of that precise
moment:
Psychic: "It's my land and you get out."
Male Investigator: "Well, if we could investigate to see if it is your land maybe we would get out, but you have
to help us and tell us what your name is."
Psychic: "My name is George Baxter."
Male Investigator (softly): "George Baxter?"
Psychic: This land belonged to me. I bought it in the year 1872. Now you look that up, Mister."
The following day, Beth went to the New Brunswick Library to check the authenticity of the "facts" as
stated by the psychic. To her astonishment she found that indeed the land was previously owned by a
George Baxter who had originally purchased it in 1872.
Whether it was the psychic connection made or merely the next step in the intimidation process, the
Batzels now began to see horrifying "notes" from their tormentor written in lipstick on the walls. One
particularly disturbing discovery were the words, "Go Dead" with three crosses drawn under it on the wall of
Lea's room on her 8th birthday.
Soon other notes written on stationary and various pieces of paper were a common find in the house.
The contents of which included:
"See Rob Go Dead"
"Be Dead +(cross symbol)"
"Die Dead"
By now the Batzels had welcomed another daughter, Lisa, in 1972. Afraid for their well-being as more
and more activity seemed to be directed at the children, the Batzels made the difficult, yet inevitable decision
to gather their belongings and move out of their home. Their four-year sentence in a haunted house was
finally at an end. Or so it seemed.
In 1974, the family moved to a new home in Clinton, NJ. Within mere days of arriving and with many
boxes as yet unpacked, the activity began again. The most insidious of which was the night that an unseen
force shoved Beth, Bob and Lea down a flight of stairs.
The family, perhaps now worn down from their experiences, made what seemed to be an impulsive
decision to move yet again. This time to Flemington, NJ. This move, like their last, did not offer resolution to
their problems. Almost immediately upon moving in Beth was staggered by the sight of a butcher knife stuck
into one of the doorways of their new home. Once again the family sought to escape their invisible tormentor
by leaving.
Another more disturbing factor in their decision to seek sanctuary from the oppressive forces trailing
them was the reluctance of friends and neighbors to embrace them. By now the "haunted family" was
becoming a topic of conversation and scorn. From 1971 to 1985 the Batzel family moved a total of 11 times
in an effort to escape the forces that seemed to pursue them.
In a final effort to find the peace they sought so desperately, Bob and Beth decided to sink everything
they had into the building of a new home for themselves. Perhaps they would no longer "inherit" any spirits
that lingered in existing homes. So they constructed their new (and final) home in the town of Lake Ariel, PA.
In their first week in the new house Beth and Bob were awakened in the wee hours of the morning by the
sound of their youngest daughter screaming and crying. Rushing to her room, she told them she had seen
the family cat hanging in the doorway to the room with its eyes gouged out. There was no evidence of this
gruesome vision to be found.
Mere nights later the Batzels were awakened by the sound of glass breaking downstairs. Upon reaching
the living room they found that a glass picture frame had exploded, sending shards all over the floor.
In 1999 William Roll and Andrew Nichols investigated the Batzel home in Lake Ariel. The reported
phenomena included:
The basement apartment, in which daughter Lisa lived until 1998 was said to be the most active area of
the house. Lisa would often hear the back door open and close as if her husband was coming home from
work even though he would be expected at a later time. Lisa also would report a nightly visit from a shadow
figure who would walk by her bedroom door and stop to look at her, then vanish.
The rest of the family reports inexplicable electrical phenomena, footsteps, apparitions, object movement
and unexplained illness.
(Note: the investigation did reveal abnormally high ion counts in the basement, which might explain the
sensations and experiences felt there.)
Having exhausted their savings in building the home, the Bratzels (Bob, 68 and Beth, 60 at the time of
this writing) are forced to remain there, weather the paranormal storm and wonder what will happen next. It is
a family that lives in fear with no sign of relief.
NOTE: Bob Batzel passed away in 2011at age 70 in Honesdale, PA.
Beth went on to write a religious-based book, The Fire of Affliction: Finding and Overcoming the Hidden
Sin in Our Lives
BATZEL HAUNTING
