A look at the claims, predictions and behavior of a media "psychic".
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A look at the claims, predictions and behavior of a media "psychic".
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| Sightings: Ghost of Brookdale LodgeSylvia Browne knows details about a reputed haunting. Did she have prior knowledge?  Logo for the television show "Sightings" BackgroundOn November 27, 1994, an episode of the television show "Sightings" was aired, containing a segment titled "Ghost of Brookdale Lodge," in which Sylvia Browne investigates reported ghostly activity. During the segment, Browne told employees of the lodge about the spirit of a little girl named Sarah, who had shown Browne a reenactment of the little girl's death by drowning. The employees confirmed that a little girl by that name had drowned on the property decades ago, and was rumored to haunt the place. Impressive? This article examines the story. The StoryBrowne wrote about this "haunting investigation" in her 2003 book Visits From the Afterlife, and assured her readers that she had absolutely no prior knowledge of the ghosts rumored to haunt the Brookdale Lodge. Starting on page 46 of the hardcover edition of the book, in the chapter titled "Ghosts That I Have Known and Loved," Browne tells the tale. Here are some excerpts (emphasis mine): Visits From the Afterlife Browne's book, "Visits From the Afterlife"
 Postcard of the "Brookroom" at Brookdale Lodge, circa 1940
Note that Browne states "at my request, no one told me the specifics of that [paranormal] activity" and "I headed off to Brookdale with no clue what to expect." Are those true statements? If so, it would make her seeing both Sarah and the circumstances behind Sarah's death, very interesting. So the question is, did Browne have prior knowledge of the lodge, and of "Sarah?" San Jose Mercury News Article in the archives of the San Jose Mercury News One reason to believe Browne had prior knowledge is documented in an article printed in the San Jose Mercury News almost four years prior to the airing of the "Sightings" episode. The article is excerpted here (emphasis mine):
So, two of Browne's assistants definitely knew about the Lodge, and about its purported ghostly activity. But did Browne herself know? People who were members of Browne's church in Campbell at the time tell me that the cleansing ceremony is referred to as a "haunting." They also assured me that the two assistants who performed the "haunting" at the Brookdale Lodge spoke of that experience with both ministers and staff, until the lodge's "ghostly history" - including that of "Sarah" - was common knowledge at the church. The same people have also assured me that it was standard practice that, after ministers had performed a "haunting," they would report back the entire incident to Browne herself. Did they do so in this case? It seems quite likely. The two assistants also returned to the Brookdale Lodge the following day to film a story about the "haunting" for a local television news show. I am currently trying to find a tape of that story. It strains credulity to think that Browne would not have read the newspaper article or watched the TV News story, both of which prominently featured her assistants. A WeddingYet another reason to doubt Browne's claim that she had no prior knowledge: In 1983, Sylvia Browne was present at her son Paul Dufresne's wedding ceremony and reception, which took place at the Brookdale Lodge, in the Brookroom, the very room where Browne would claim to see the ghost of Sarah Logan eleven years later. Browne neglected to mention that particular fact in her account of her "investigation" for the Sightings show, making it seem as though she was seeing the Brookroom for the first time in 1994. AnalysisLet's look at a summary of the facts:
Given all of the above, I find Browne's claim to have had "no prior knowledge" of the purported ghostly activity at the Brookdale Lodge in 1994 to be extremely difficult to believe. ConclusionIs it possible Browne didn't know about the lodge's purported ghosts? Yes. Is it likely? Not very. The two people who could tell us for certain (aside from Browne herself) are the two assistants who performed the "haunting." If either of them wish to come forward and be quoted on whether or not they told Browne about "Sarah," I will publish their statements. Related LinksClicking on any of these links will load a separate browser window for viewing the linked page. StopSylviaBrowne.com is not responsible for the content of any of these linked pages.
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