Even though The Haunting in Connecticut is presented to the public as a genuine tale, its actual backstory is more convoluted. The Haunting in Connecticut is based on Ray Garton’s 1992 book In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting and tells the terrifying true story of the Campbell family as they relocate to be near their son Matt’s cancer treatment. When the Campbells learn that the mansion has a terrible history of funeral customs and necromancy, everyone in the household, but notably Matt, begins to experience unexplainable phenomena.
The terrifying events that befall the Campbell family in the 2009 film and the novel on which it is based are said to have their basis in reality. Nonetheless, The Haunting in Connecticut is “based on a true story,” and that usually means nothing. It’s not easy to tell how much of The Haunting in Connecticut is based on actuality, but the film proves the premise that there are many perspectives on any given event.
The Controversy Surrounding the True Story That Inspired “The Haunting in Connecticut”
The Haunting in Connecticut is promoted as a horror film based on a genuine event, however, the truth behind that statement is murky. Despite Carmen Snedeker’s unwavering belief in her family’s narrative, the book’s author, Ray Garton, has distanced himself from the “true story” aspect of the film. The Warrens allegedly hired Garton to compose the book and instructed him to make up details in the Snedekers’ account that didn’t jive with their own. The Warrens and Snedeker have both refuted Garton’s allegations; therefore, it’s hard to determine whether or not The Haunting in Connecticut is based on actual events.
Carmen Snedeker and Her Family Serve as Inspiration for the Connecticut Haunting
The matriarch of the Snedeker family, Carmen, serves as the inspiration for the characters in The Haunting in Connecticut. The Snedeker family moved to Connecticut in 1986 to be nearer to their son Philip’s cancer treatment, and their claimed experiences there are strikingly similar to the narrative of The Haunting in Connecticut. The Snedeker family as a whole felt the presence of ghosts at their former funeral parlor, and Philip felt their presence especially strongly.
The Snedekers eventually decided to get aid from prominent paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren and have their home exorcised to rid it of the haunting ghosts. The Snedeker family left the residence in 1988, supposedly because paranormal activity had subsided after the exorcism. While The Haunting in Connecticut does take some dramatic license with the Snedekers’ reported experiences, the bulk of the story stays true to what Carmen Snedeker has told investigators.
