To extinguish the online firestorm, Tony Spera, son-in-law of Ed and Lorraine Warren and the current curator of the Warren Occult Museum, issued a direct video address. Spera appeared alongside the physical artifact to show that the doll was intact, locked down, and accounted for.
"Annabelle never escaped, she was never missing, and she was not in Dan's room," Spera stated. He explained that when traveling, the doll is stored in a reinforced, custom-padded transport case secured by dual key locks. Rivera did not have sole custody of the keys, nor did he handle the artifact alone.
Spera addressed the emotional toll of the rumors on Rivera's family:
- Speculation that demonic forces killed an investigator turns a real family's personal tragedy into cheap entertainment.
- Security surrounding museum artifacts remains double-checked, monitored, and compliant with local municipal regulations.
- The tour was immediately canceled out of respect for Rivera, and all display items were driven straight back to Connecticut under continuous escort.
The Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, remains closed to general foot traffic due to residential zoning disputes, but its inventory remains strictly inventoried behind locked doors.
