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Eerie pics show Mexico’s ‘haunted’ Island of the Dolls where thousands of creepy toys hang from trees in tribute to drowned little girl

Now thousands of tourists visit the ghoulish site every year to view the bizarre spectacle that is only accessible by boat

Sun Reporter

Published: 15:46, 1 Apr 2019
Updated: 16:05, 1 Apr 2019

THIS is the creepy doll graveyard that ghoulish guests flocks to in their thousands every year.

Mexico City's Island of the Dolls contains thousands of mutilated dolls hanging from trees and can only be reached via a two-hour canal trip.

Barrera recalled hearing screaming coming from the deserted woods around his shackxxxxxxxxxxx — Barrera recalled hearing screaming coming from the deserted woods around his shackxxxxxxxxxxxCredit: Exclusivepix Media

Julian Santana Barrera tried to ward off the evil spirit of a drowned girl by nailing hundreds of dolls to trees near his home — Julian Santana Barrera tried to ward off the evil spirit of a drowned girl by nailing hundreds of dolls to trees near his homeCredit: Exclusivepix Media

The spooky site was never meant to become a tourist attraction.

Yet still every year thousands make the pilgrimage to view the sinister site.

The dolls were first left by a local man who wished to fend off the spirit of a young girl who drowned in the nearby waters.

It is claimed she still haunts the surrounding area.

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Julian Santana Barrera recalled hearing screams erupting in the forest as he tried to sleep at night.

And to this day visitors report hearing spooky goings-on in the area.

In a cruel twist of fate Barrera drowned in those same water 14 years ago - surrounded by the thousands of dolls he had nailed to trees in a bid to protect himself.

Seeing a chance to cash in on the bizarre setting, his family now run the site as a tourist attraction.

One of those visitors, Cindy Vasko, described her pilgrimage to the Island of the Dolls.

Speaking to the , she recalled: "Upon stepping foot on the island, I saw dolls not only hanging from the trees, but clustered at the bases of trees, attached to small structures and fencing - and hanging from wires that look like the dolls were left out to dry on a clothes-line.

"For decades, many dolls were exposed to the elements and are certainly weathered and decayed.

"Many dolls are sheathed in thick spider webs, some are missing limbs, and some do not even possess bodies, with only doll-heads hanging from rusty wires in the tree.

"Some dolls were home to large insects crawling out of the mouths or eye sockets and some had lice embedded in their hair.

"Visitors leave coins and trinkets at several of the doll shrines found inside some of the Island’s loosely-constructed buildings."

The Mexican had watched the young girl die many years ago — The Mexican had watched the young girl die many years agoCredit: Exclusivepix Media

And in a bid to protect himself he began the creepy tradition — And in a bid to protect himself he began the creepy traditionCredit: Exclusivepix Media

And in a cruel twist of fate he too would drown 14 years ago in the murky waters in which the girl had perished — And in a cruel twist of fate he too would drown 14 years ago in the murky waters in which the girl had perishedCredit: Exclusivepix Media

Sensing an opportunity to preserve the spooky site, Barrera's family opened the site up as a tourist attraction — Sensing an opportunity to preserve the spooky site, Barrera's family opened the site up as a tourist attractionCredit: Exclusivepix Media

It now welcomes thousands of visitors every year to the remote plot near Mexico City — It now welcomes thousands of visitors every year to the remote plot near Mexico CityCredit: Exclusivepix Media

Dedicated visitors are required to make a two-hour journey by boat to visit the park — Dedicated visitors are required to make a two-hour journey by boat to visit the parkCredit: Exclusivepix Media

And they are met with a chilling sight when they arrive at the Island of the Dolls — And they are met with a chilling sight when they arrive at the Island of the DollsCredit: Exclusivepix Media

To this day, locals report hearing screaming and crying echoing from the waters surrounding the island — To this day, locals report hearing screaming and crying echoing from the waters surrounding the islandCredit: Exclusivepix Media

Some of the dolls are hanged from trees in a troubling image from the park — Some of the dolls are hanged from trees in a troubling image from the parkCredit: Exclusivepix Media

Others are nailed to fences while some have had their heads transplanted onto different bodies — Others are nailed to fences while some have had their heads transplanted onto different bodiesCredit: Exclusivepix Media

The numbers of dolls around the park now number in the thousands — The numbers of dolls around the park now number in the thousandsCredit: Exclusivepix Media

And many are left rotting after years of being subjected to to the wet and humid conditions of central America — And many are left rotting after years of being subjected to to the wet and humid conditions of central AmericaCredit: Exclusivepix Media

The surrounding area was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987 — The surrounding area was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987Credit: Exclusivepix Media

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