THE TERRIFYING TALES OF: BLACK EYED CHILDREN
Imagine a quiet evening at home. The TV’s on. The lights are low.
Then — a knock at the door.
You’re not expecting anyone. And when you check, two kids are standing outside. Heads down. No expression. Voices flat.
They ask to come in. Say they need to use the phone. Every part of you says not to open the door.
Then they look up — and their eyes are completely black.
That’s how these stories begin. And if you think they only happen at night — or only at your doorstep — think again.
In this episode, we’re digging into the strange and terrifying encounters with the Black-Eyed Children — stories spanning decades, continents, and settings. The details rarely change. Something about their presence feels wrong from the start — but it’s the eyes that stop people cold. Solid black. Unnatural. And after that, nothing feels the same.
We’ll explore the theories, cultural parallels, possible explanations…. And what happens when you let them in.
Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern
Listener discretion is advised
Episode Source Material
Books
Weatherly, David. The Black Eyed Children. Eerie Lights Publishing, 2012.
Weatherly, David. The Black Eyed Children: Revised 2nd Edition. Eerie Lights Publishing, 2017.
Vasey, G. Michael. The Chilling, True Terror of the Black-Eyed Kids: Revised Third Edition. 2021. Kindle Edition.
https://www.amazon.com/Chilling-True-Terror-Black-Eyed-Kids-ebook/dp/B08ZDQ8BQZ/
Academic Papers
Williamson, Ann. "What Is Hypnosis and How Might It Work?" Palliative Care, January 2019.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1178224219826581
Moshirfar, Majid, Grace Kuang, and Yasmyne Ronquillo. Ocular Manifestations of Alkaptonuria. StatPearls, 2024.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK586054/
Sachdeva, Ankur, Ankit Saxena, and Manish Kandpal. "Case Report of Visual Hallucinations in Anxiety." Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry, Vol. 27, No. 2, 2015.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4468292/
Articles
Bethel, Brian. "Brian Bethel Recounts His Possible Paranormal Encounter with ‘BEKs.’" Abilene Reporter News, 2013.
https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/state/2013/11/14/brian-bethel-recounts-his-possible-paranormal-encounter-with-beks/3497953/
Mohsin, Maria. "Legend of the Black-Eyed Children." The Business Standard, 2023.
https://www.tbsnews.net/splash/legend-black-eyed-children-691654
Jackson, Sofie. "Top Catholic Exorcist Says Possessed Victims ‘Have Eyes as Black as a Shark’s.’" Daily Star, 2020.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/top-catholic-exorcist-says-possessed-21578394
Documentaries & Videos
LaFave, Dan. Brian Bethel’s Encounter – Part 1 Interview. Strange Chronicles at Midnight, December 27, 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjrp-8EYxXc
LaFave, Dan. Brian Bethel’s Encounter – Part 2 Interview. Strange Chronicles at Midnight, December 29, 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beYDCtbbp0A
Luck, Coleman, director. What Happens When Black-Eyed Kids Get Inside. Patterns of Supernatural Phenomena, Thorn Crown Studios, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB6uYaIrU_U
PBS. PBS Presents: The Mystery of the Black-Eyed Children. Published on YouTube, n.d. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqfXej30Zzw&t=516s
Podcasts
Morgan, Gaz. Jason Offutt on Strange Missouri, Black-Eyed Kids, Shadow People and More!. Bizarro Aficionado (n.d.). https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bizarroaficionado/episodes/Jason-Offutt-on-Strange-Missouri–Black-Eyed-Kids–Shadow-People–and-More-eqdv88
Pecorero, Racha, and Yvette Gentile. LEGEND: Black Eyed Children. So Supernatural, March 7, 2025. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legend-black-eyed-children/id1500667648?i=1000698233883
Lights Out Podcast. Black Eyed Children. Hosted by Josh Thomas and Joel, YouTube, November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NBPMsZ6UN0
Miles, Miles and Jack Ferris. Black Eyed Children (with special guest Tyler Gaca aka Ghosthoney). Miles and Jack Got Mad Boosties, January 20, 2021. https://podcasts.apple.com/gh/podcast/black-eyed-children-with-special-guest-tyler-gaca-aka/id1379959217?i=1000505377496
Websites & Blogs
"Anatomy of the Eye." Cleveland Eye Clinic (n.d.). https://www.clevelandeyeclinic.com
"Atropine Drops." Washington Eye Doctors (n.d.). https://www.washingtoneyedoctors.com
"Aniridia." Cedars Sinai Health Library (n.d.). https://www.cedars-sinai.org
Coombs, Alistair. "Voices of the Dead: The Strange Origins of Eye Idols." Ancient Origins (blog), 2021. https://www.ancient-origins.net
Dietrich, Oliver. "The ‘Urfa Man.’" The Tepe Telegrams (blog), 2016. https://tepetelegrams.wordpress.com
"Hungry Ghost Festival and the Cross-Cultural Nature of Roots." My China Roots (n.d.). https://www.mychinaroots.com
"Hungry Ghosts." Lion’s Roar (n.d.). https://www.lionsroar.com
"Black Eyes of Evil." TVTropes.org (n.d.). https://tvtropes.org
Old_Hermit_IX. "Has Anyone Encountered Black Eyed People? Please Share Your Stories, Pictures, Experiences." Reddit (n.d.). https://www.reddit.com
