28 girls hospitalized for 'anxiety attacks' after playing with Ouija boards
Ouija boards have earned a rather terrifying reputation because of how they are used to communicate with the dead and how they are often used in horror media.
In a scene that appears to come straight out of a scary movie, nearly 30 schoolgirls were brought to the hospital after they suffered anxiety attacks for allegedly playing with Ouija boards.
In a report by UK-based news agency Jam Press carried by the New York Post, 28 girls from a school in Colombia were discovered to be suffering from signs of "fainting, anxiety and other symptoms," which led the staff to immediately bring them to a nearby hospital to get treated.
Parents of the children immediately pointed fingers at the in-school use of Ouija boards, with one mother saying, "I work here in a hospital kiosk and every day I see three or four children arrive after fainting."
She added, "Our children always have a good breakfast and it cannot be said that what’s happening is due to lack of food."
In case you're not familiar with them, ouija is a game board with letters; numbers; the words yes, no, hello, and goodbye; as well as other symbols marked on the surface. It has a small heart-shaped piece that is believed to be moved by the dead to spell out their messages, should they get contacted.
Hugo Torres, head of the Galeras Educational Institution where the incident happened, has refuted such claims and has denounced residents for causing more panic in the community.
"Given the reported cases, a series of comments were unleashed on the community that, rather than helping to resolve the situation, led to confusion and an adverse environment for our work," he said.
Torres said that the school is still waiting for the medical diagnoses to provide further reliable information, but did not make clear whether the school will update the public on the condition of the students.