Rock icon Ozzy Osbourne once said he believed he fell under a supernatural curse after meeting Robert the Doll, a notorious Florida artifact feared by many and often described as one of America's most haunted objects. Now his account has re-emerged amid renewed concern over the 120-year-old figure.

RadarOnline reported in 2020 that Osbourne experienced a sudden decline in his health after visiting the doll at the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West. At the center of the long-standing Robert legend, there's the claim that more than a century ago, an angry maid used voodoo to curse the toy, sparking eerie stories that persisted across generations.

At the time, according to Osbourne, he believed the doll contributed to "declining health," a fear that quickly fueled public interest in the artifact.

But Robert's appearance alone has unnerved many a visitor. With a scarred face, matted hair, frayed clothing, and an ominous stare, the doll stands as a prominent exhibit at the museum. Yet supporters of the legend say the real horror lies in what happens afterward.

Museum staff report receiving hundreds of apology letters from visitors who claim to have photographed the doll without asking "permission," a ritual many believe prevents misfortune, per Daily Mail.

Psychic medium Matt Fraser said, "Robert isn't merely a creepy doll, he is a vessel of 'dark and ritualistic energy,' and approaching him risks serious consequences."

Fraser added, "Most people think hauntings begin with a place, but in reality, they often begin with an object. Dolls are powerful symbolic vessels, and when a spirit becomes attached, the object gains attention."

He added that negative entities may "feed on attention and grow stronger when people interact with them," advising that such items be "secured, protected and away from the public."

The doll's history began long before it arrived at the museum in 1994. It once belonged to Key West artist Robert Eugene "Gene" Otto, who developed an intense attachment to it as a child. He dressed the doll in his clothing and treated it as a sentient companion.

"He brought it everywhere. He talked about it in the first person as if he weren't a doll, he was Robert – as in, he is a live entity," said museum curator Cori Convertito in 2020.

According to long-standing accounts, the Otto household was soon home to inexplicable disturbances, including furniture knocked over and toys mutilated. Young Gene kept saying, "Robert did it!"

Osbourne's story, added to the steady stream of reports from visitors who come to see the museum, keeps affirming the doll's chilling reputation-one fully anchored in the realm of paranormal folklore and public fascination.

Originally published on Music Times