Terrifying & True | New England Vampire Panic: Why Families Burned the Dead
Podcast: Weekly Spooky | Scary Stories for HalloweenPublished On: Mon Nov 02 2026
Description: Mercy Brown was dead. Her brother was dying. New England’s vampire panic drove families to open graves and burn hearts, hoping to save the living from tuberculosis, then called consumption. Henrique Couto traces Rhode Island’s vampire folklore, Connecticut’s mysterious JB55 burial and the evidence behind America’s graveyard rituals. Hear archival recordings of folklorist Michael Bell, Everett Peck and archaeologist Nicholas Bellantoni. With Thanksgiving’s promise of reunion as its backdrop, why did grieving families seek a cure inside a coffin? We're telling that story tonight.Bonus episodes & support: https://weeklyspooky.com/joinMore scary stories: https://weeklyspooky.com/Story submissions: WeeklySpooky@gmail.com
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