When children's lullabies become calls to murder, and innocence itself becomes a weapon, how do you protect what cannot be protected?

In this week's bone-chilling tale, we follow Dr. Kara Kellerman, a respected child psychologist in Meadowbrook, Washington, as she investigates a series of horrific family murders that defy all explanation. Seven-year-old Timothy sits cradling his infant sister's body, humming "Rock-a-bye Baby." Nine-year-old Emma beats her father to death while reciting "Pat-a-cake" in perfect rhythm with each devastating blow.

These aren't random acts of violence—they're orchestrated performances, guided by an ancient entity that feeds on the corruption of innocence itself. As Dr. Kellerman peels back layers of Meadowbrook's dark history, she uncovers the truth about the Whitmore House for Wayward Children, where musical therapy became ritualistic horror over a century ago.

But the most terrifying revelation isn't what this entity wants—it's how it's been using Kara herself as an unwitting accomplice, turning her professional expertise into a tool for covering up its feeding patterns. When her own six-year-old niece begins singing the wrong songs, Kara realizes that some hungers can never be satisfied, and some songs can never be unheard.

This episode explores the violation of our most sacred bonds, the weaponization of trust, and the horrifying realization that sometimes the very systems designed to protect children become the instruments of their destruction. From blood-soaked nurseries to underground chambers filled with century-old victims, "The Nursery Rhyme Murders" reminds us that evil doesn't always announce itself with roars and screams—sometimes it whispers through lullabies.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

- Graphic violence involving children

- Ritualistic murder and child endangerment

- Psychological manipulation and mind control

- Themes of institutional failure and complicity

- Disturbing imagery involving corrupted childhood symbols

- Implications of ongoing supernatural threat to children

This episode contains extremely disturbing content and is not suitable for all listeners. If you work with children professionally or have experienced trauma involving child safety, please consider skipping this episode or listening with support available.

EPISODE NOTES:

Research for this episode included historical accounts of ritualistic violence, the psychological impact of corrupted childhood symbols, and the documented phenomenon of mass hysteria in small communities. While the Meadowbrook case is fictional, the psychological patterns explored—including how authority figures can inadvertently enable harmful behaviors—are grounded in real psychological research.

The nursery rhymes referenced in this episode have been deliberately altered to create an unsettling effect. The original verses remain beloved childhood staples, and their corruption in this story serves to highlight how evil can twist even our most innocent cultural touchstones.

For listeners interested in the historical context, the episode draws inspiration from documented cases of institutional abuse disguised as therapeutic treatment, particularly in early 20th-century orphanages and children's homes. The use of music and repetitive chanting in psychological manipulation has precedent in various historical contexts, though never to the supernatural extent depicted in tonight's tale.

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I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement - There's Something Down There

Tonight's chilling tale comes from listener Masked Rider Chris, who weaves a story of forbidden curiosity, unlikely friendship, and cosmic terror that will haunt you long after the final word.

When an 18-year-old metalhead decides to defy his parents' strict rule about staying out of the basement, he discovers something imprisoned in the storage area below his apartment building. What begins as teenage rebellion evolves into an unexpected friendship with a tragic creature named Frank - but some friendships come with a price that extends far beyond the basement's concrete walls.

This Lovecraftian nightmare explores themes of inherited guilt, cosmic horror, and the dangerous knowledge that lurks just beneath the surface of our everyday world. From mysterious Men in Black to ancient entities that shouldn't exist, this story reminds us that some doors are better left unopened.

Content Warning: This episode contains themes of mental health crisis, family trauma, and implied self-harm. Listener discretion is advised.

Story by Masked Rider Chris. Adapted and narrated by Carman Carrion.

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**MUSIC CREDITS:**

Music and sound effects provided by: CO.AG, Myuu, Jinglepunks, Epidemic Sound, Kevin MacLeod, Dark Music, and Soundstripe.

The Family Business

Carman’s Crypt | Original Horror Fiction

What if the people who raised you… trained you?

When seventeen-year-old David returns home after college, he expects familiarity. A quiet house at the end of a gravel road. Parents who built a modest cleaning and restoration business through hard work and sacrifice. A family that never missed a school play or a birthday.

What he doesn’t expect is the truth hidden behind locked basement doors, mislabeled VHS tapes, and “late-night emergency calls” that always seem to follow another missing person report.

As David begins to uncover what his parents really do for a living, he realizes they aren’t just serial killers. They are products of something much older and far more insidious. A system of conditioning that values obedience, efficiency, and loyalty above morality. A program designed to turn ordinary people into quiet, dependable weapons.

And now, without realizing it, David is being evaluated.

This isn’t a story about monsters lurking in the dark.
It’s about inheritance.
About love used as leverage.
About how easily violence becomes “just business” when it keeps the lights on and pays the bills.

In this episode of Carman’s Crypt, we explore a slow-burn psychological horror tale steeped in analog dread, suburban normalcy, and generational trauma. A story that asks an uncomfortable question:

If evil raised you… would you recognize it?
Or would you justify it?

Themes Explored

• Psychological conditioning and moral erosion
• Family loyalty versus personal responsibility
• Analog horror and hidden documentation
• Suburban facades and private violence
• Generational trauma and inherited guilt

⚠️ Content Advisory

This episode contains themes of violence, psychological manipulation, coercion, and moral compromise. Listener discretion is advised.

🎧 About Carman’s Crypt

Carman’s Crypt is a horror fiction podcast featuring original stories, urban myths, and psychological nightmares that linger long after the episode ends. These are stories about the things we inherit, the secrets we protect, and the quiet horrors hiding behind ordinary lives.

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If you enjoy slow-burn horror, unsettling moral dilemmas, and stories that feel uncomfortably plausible, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review. It helps others discover the stories buried in the Crypt.

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🏷️ Tags / Keywords

Carman’s Crypt, horror podcast, psychological horror, analog horror, VHS horror, family horror, suburban horror, generational trauma, cult horror, original horror fiction, dark fiction, creepy podcast, slow burn horror