The boogeyman under the bed is one of the oldest fears in the book. It’s a classic monster, a childhood nightmare you eventually grow out of. But what if the monster wasn't a monster at all, but something far more terrifying: a real person? This week on the Wyrd Wessex podcast, Craig and Andy uncovered a recent news story that brought this fear to life and then dived into the broader, chilling phenomenon it represents: phrogging.
Wyrd News: A Monster Under the Bed
The episode begins with a disturbing news report from NPR about a babysitter in Kansas. When a child complained about a "monster" under the bed, the babysitter went to investigate, only to come face to face with a man hiding there. The man turned out to be a 27-year-old with a protective order against him, and the confrontation led to a violent struggle. He was eventually arrested on a slew of charges, including aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary, turning a common childhood fear into a very real and immediate threat.
This horrifying story was a fitting segue into the main topic: phrogging, the act of living in someone's home without their knowledge. The name is derived from the way perpetrators jump from one residence to another, like a phrog leaping between lily pads. While it sounds like an urban myth, Craig and Andy explain that numerous confirmed cases have occurred, with people nesting in attics, basements, and other hidden nooks.
The "Virtuous" Phrogger and a Code of Conduct
The Wyrdo's discuss a so-called "code" that some phroggers reportedly follow. The code is meant to ensure they can coexist with the homeowners without being detected. It dictates that they must take only what they need, such as food and toiletries, and must leave no trace of their presence. However, as the Wyrdo's point out, this code is more of a theory than a reality, as most real-life phroggers have a darker agenda.
Craig and Andy then explore several chilling examples that prove the rule:
The Honolulu "Doctor": A couple returned from holiday to find a stranger in their home who had been living there for some time. He had used their laptop to write a bizarre manifesto on "rehabilitation for rat-like people" and had left knives arranged on their bed, suggesting a sinister intent.
The Christmas List Phrogger: A man was discovered living in a family's attic after they heard strange noises they had been attributing to their cats. The intruder had not only been eating their food and wearing their clothes but had also created a "Christmas list" of all the items he had stolen.
The Killer in the Walls: One of the most horrifying examples is Daniel LaPlante, who terrorized a family from within their own home. He would hide in crawlspaces, tap on walls, and scrawl messages like "I'm in your room, come and find me." His behavior escalated from phrogging to multiple murders, serving as a cautionary tale of how a seemingly harmless act can lead to atrocity.
The Poltergeist in the Attic: In a story that's more creepy than violent, a woman thought she had a poltergeist problem. She heard strange noises and found nails popping out of her ceiling, but the culprit was not a ghost. It was her ex-boyfriend, who had been secretly living in her attic for two weeks, spying on her through an air vent.