17 year old Carmen Winstead is pushed into a sewer and dies. Upon questioning, the guilty party lies, and the death is ruled an accident. Before long those responsible are found dead in the sewer, after being warned to confess.
Now those who are unwilling to spread the truth also face the same fate. Is there any truth to this chain letter / urban legend?
Now those who are unwilling to spread the truth also face the same fate. Is there any truth to this chain letter / urban legend?
A Strange Sound
It came from the drain... A young girl is in her bathroom at home, getting ready to take a shower, when she hears a strange noise, a faint gurgling. Although in the back of her mind she registered it as odd, she quickly dismissed it as something happening in the plumbing.
She steps into the shower and turns on the hot water tap, before stepping back out as the cold water in the pipes flows through, allowing room for the warm then hot water to come out. As she stands, waiting, periodically running her hand under the spray, gauging the waters temperature, she hears the sound again.
This time it was louder, and seemed to be coming from the drain. At first she thinks her mind is playing tricks, for the sound is of laughing, a strange, mocking chuckle, clearly discernible over the exiting water.
She steps into the shower and turns on the hot water tap, before stepping back out as the cold water in the pipes flows through, allowing room for the warm then hot water to come out. As she stands, waiting, periodically running her hand under the spray, gauging the waters temperature, she hears the sound again.
This time it was louder, and seemed to be coming from the drain. At first she thinks her mind is playing tricks, for the sound is of laughing, a strange, mocking chuckle, clearly discernible over the exiting water.
Terrifying... stuck in a sewer. To anyone else this may have been no more than a curiosity, a trick of the mind, but for her it is something more. She remembers an event that had taken place seven months earlier, a lie she had been a part of, and a tragedy she had helped cause.
She yells out for her mum, who is quick to respond. She tells her mum of the strange laughter, but all she receives in return is a strange look and a suggestion to forget about it, to go to bed. The girl does this, not knowing her end is close.
That night the mother hears a series of loud bangs reverberating around the house. She gets out of bed to investigate, and upon entering her daughters room, she finds the bed empty. Her daughter was gone.
The police are called in and a search is carried out. It does not take too long for the girl to be located, it was soon discovered that a nearby sewer cap was partially opened. Shining their torches into the opening, they find the missing girl, head looking back up towards them, the neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Her face stripped of its flesh.
Before long four other girls would meet the same fate. Carmen Winstead had returned for her revenge.
She yells out for her mum, who is quick to respond. She tells her mum of the strange laughter, but all she receives in return is a strange look and a suggestion to forget about it, to go to bed. The girl does this, not knowing her end is close.
That night the mother hears a series of loud bangs reverberating around the house. She gets out of bed to investigate, and upon entering her daughters room, she finds the bed empty. Her daughter was gone.
The police are called in and a search is carried out. It does not take too long for the girl to be located, it was soon discovered that a nearby sewer cap was partially opened. Shining their torches into the opening, they find the missing girl, head looking back up towards them, the neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Her face stripped of its flesh.
Before long four other girls would meet the same fate. Carmen Winstead had returned for her revenge.
A Cruel and Deadly Joke
She never reemerged... Carmen Winstead was a 17 year old student in Indiana, who was killed when she was pushed into a open sewer by five other students. At the time, the school was having a fire drill. Carmen was the odd one out, so it was not uncommon for a certain clique of female students to pick on her.
It was meant to be a joke, a way to embarass Carmen in front of the school. However, after she did not reemerge from the sewer, the police were called in. Before long her body was recovered. Her neck had broken when her head hit the ladder, and was further damaged when she finally hit the concrete wall at the bottom.
The students were all questioned, but as noone except for the girls who pushed her had seen anything, all guilty parties managed to lie their way out of it. They all told the same story – she had fallen in – and the death was ruled an accident.
It was meant to be a joke, a way to embarass Carmen in front of the school. However, after she did not reemerge from the sewer, the police were called in. Before long her body was recovered. Her neck had broken when her head hit the ladder, and was further damaged when she finally hit the concrete wall at the bottom.
The students were all questioned, but as noone except for the girls who pushed her had seen anything, all guilty parties managed to lie their way out of it. They all told the same story – she had fallen in – and the death was ruled an accident.
Last sight of light. Several months later many students at the school started receiving emails and messages on their myspace accounts titled 'They Pushed Her', which told the truth of what had really happened that day. Carmen had not accidentally fallen into the sewer, but had been pushed. The emails did not disclose the identities of the guilty parties involved, but rather threatened that there would be horrible consequences should they not confess.
Many thought this was a horrible prank to be played on those with the still fresh memories of the tragedy, but for at least five girls in the school, a panic must have set in. Someone knew what had happened and was threatening them.
A few days later the events described at the beginning of this post took place. First one of the girls is taken from their house, killed and disfigured and left to be found in the sewer, then another and another until all five girls had met the same fate.
Carmen is apparently not satisfied. She has become a twisted entity whose sole purpose is to have the truth of her death known. Not content with the deaths of the guilty party, she will visit anyone who does not believe the story and foward it on to others.
Many thought this was a horrible prank to be played on those with the still fresh memories of the tragedy, but for at least five girls in the school, a panic must have set in. Someone knew what had happened and was threatening them.
A few days later the events described at the beginning of this post took place. First one of the girls is taken from their house, killed and disfigured and left to be found in the sewer, then another and another until all five girls had met the same fate.
Carmen is apparently not satisfied. She has become a twisted entity whose sole purpose is to have the truth of her death known. Not content with the deaths of the guilty party, she will visit anyone who does not believe the story and foward it on to others.
Chain Letter
Yeah, she is not happy. And so goes the background of one of the more famous chainletters that has been in circulation since about 2006. It still pops up every now and then as people continue to recieve this story and forward it on 'just in case'. There is no substantial proof that Carmen Winstead ever existed, was pushed into a sewer, and definitely no proof that her vengeful spirit killed the guilty parties and any other who fail to believe in the story.
Still, not having proof does not necessarily mean that the events did not take place, maybe it happened in another part of the world, the details changed to better fit a new audience?
It has certainly been a popular story outside of the US, with many searches for the details originating from the Philippines.
Still, not having proof does not necessarily mean that the events did not take place, maybe it happened in another part of the world, the details changed to better fit a new audience?
It has certainly been a popular story outside of the US, with many searches for the details originating from the Philippines.
As for the legend itself, what makes this a 'chain letter'?
Well it is said that if you do not forward on her message, sharing the letter with the words 'They Pushed Her' in the title, Carmen may possibly come after you for not helping to spread her truth. It is highly doubtful that anything should happen if you do not pass it along... but i'm guessing some people will 'Just in case'.
(Note - as with all urban legends some details may change in the telling throughout different regions)
Well it is said that if you do not forward on her message, sharing the letter with the words 'They Pushed Her' in the title, Carmen may possibly come after you for not helping to spread her truth. It is highly doubtful that anything should happen if you do not pass it along... but i'm guessing some people will 'Just in case'.
(Note - as with all urban legends some details may change in the telling throughout different regions)
Ashley Hall 2013
RSS Feed
