Investigating the controversial phenomenon
How do you please a drowned girl? You hang up more dolls, or at least that was Don Julián's train of thought.
The man began collecting dolls from trash piles from around the borough. He even found some floating in the canals.
Assuming it belonged to the girl, the man hung the doll on a nearby tree in honor of the little one's tortured soul.
Don Julián is said to have been overtaken by guilt over his failure to save the girl before she drowned.
After retrieving the little girl's body, the hermit spotted a doll floating nearby.
Don Julián collected so many dolls that he even filled his cabin with them. He is said to have dressed them and adorned them with headdresses and other accessories, as if they were saints in a shrine. The original dolls can still be seen around the island.
Some locals say Don Julián went as far as trading produce for dolls.
Little by little, he populated his tiny island with dolls in honor of the girl.
Don Julián maintained the island until his death in 2001. Can you guess how he died?
More than 60 years have passed since he hung the first doll so most of them are decaying, which creepily makes them look like corpses.
Many locals found the island's dolls frightening, with their missing limbs and matted hair. But Don Julián thought they were beautiful and he didn't mind visitors—he would proudly show them around.
But his cause of death is contested. Some sources say he died of a heart attack.
Some say his body was found drowned in the same spot he said he found the girl all those years ago.
Many say the little drowned girl actually existed. But many others, including Don Julián's own family, believe she was imaginary.
Visitors to the island claim they can hear the dolls whisper, and some even say the dolls move their heads and limbs.
Don Julián never intended for the place to become a tourist attraction, but its uniqueness was bound to attract attention.
His family says he began acting as if moved by an invisible force and his whole life became about the dolls.
Whether you believe the dolls are possessed or not is up to you. The fact is that the island doesn't need paranormal activity to be among the creepiest places on Earth—the strange dolls themselves suffice.
The island has been featured in TV shows, including on the Travel Channel show 'Ghost Adventures' and the Amazon Prime show 'Lore.'
Sources: (Mystery Facts) (Atlas Obscura) (My San Antonio)
See also: Dark tourism: following a gruesome travel itinerary
Tourists seeking to visit the eerie island can do so from Embarcadero Cuemanco or Embarcadero Fernando Celada, where boats take you there for an hourly fee.
Following Don Julián's death in 2001, the place has attracted tourists who wish to witness his tragic legacy, and they often bring more dolls to hang around.
He started to believe she was haunting the island. Don Julián sought out ways to please her.
The dolls, as well as their limbs, can be seen hanging from trees, fences, and basically any available surfaces. But who put them there?
A tiny island in Xochimilco just south of Mexico City hides one of the world's strangest sights. Instead of being greeted by people when you arrive, you'll be welcomed by decaying, nightmarish-looking dolls. The place is filled with legends, lore, and as is usually the case, tragedy.
Click through the gallery and find out more about this creepy forgotten place.
Take a look... if you dare
Island of the Dolls: venture into the world's most haunting place
Take a look... if you dare
TRAVEL Haunted
A tiny island in Xochimilco just south of Mexico City hides one of the world's strangest sights. Instead of being greeted by people when you arrive, you'll be welcomed by decaying, nightmarish-looking dolls. The place is filled with legends, lore, and as is usually the case, tragedy.
Click through the gallery and find out more about this creepy forgotten place.