The Haunting Truth You Need To Know about Abilene’s Black Eyed Kids

Black-Eyed Kids: A Chilling Encounter in Abilene

In 1998, my friend and fellow Abilene resident, Brian Bethel, a journalist for the Abilene Reporter-News, shared a story that’s haunted him ever since, an encounter with the Black-Eyed Kids, or BEKs. Brian’s experience marked the first widely documented BEK sighting in the U.S., right here in Abilene, Texas, in 1996.

While these kids give most people the chills, I initially brushed them off. Growing up in Madrid, Spain, in the late '60s, I’d seen similar black-eyed children. As a kid, I just assumed they had a vision impairment or some birth defect. But later, I came to realize that these strange children had a reputation as “devil children” worldwide.

The Rise of BEK Sightings

Since Brian’s experience, Black-Eyed Kid encounters have only increased. Sightings have spanned the U.S. and beyond, with most recent reports coming from England, where Black-Eyed Kids are a frequent topic of ghost stories and urban legends as seen on the PBS documentary below.

Brian’s Terrifying Encounter

Brian shared every chilling detail of his encounter with me. One evening, he pulled into the Westwood Theater parking lot to write a check for his internet bill. Using the theater’s marquee light, he was absorbed in his task, unaware of his surroundings, until he heard a knock on his driver’s window. Looking up, he saw two kids, one about 9 and the other around 13, wearing hooded sweatshirts. The older boy asked Brian for a ride to their mother’s house so they could get money to see the movie Mortal Kombat. But then, Brian noticed something that made his blood run cold: both boys had pitch-black eyes, devoid of any whites.

"You Must Let Us In"

Brian described the kids' unwavering gaze, eyes like cold, black coals that filled him with dread. The older boy, sensing his hesitation, pressed harder, saying, “We can’t come in unless you invite us in. You have to let us in!” Panicking, Brian rolled up his window, put his car in reverse, and began to back away. As he did, the boys’ voices grew louder, almost desperate, demanding entry. But when he glanced in his rearview mirror, they were gone.

Real or Imagination? The Experts Weigh In

Dr. Emily Zarca, host of the Monstrum documentary series on PBS, investigated Brian’s experience, recounting the incident in her show. She admitted that if she’d been in his place, she wouldn’t have let the BEKs in, either. Another chilling perspective came from a psychic on Ghost Hunters, who warned that had Brian allowed those children into his car, he might not be here today.

In closing, I'll admit that I have encountered what are described as the Black-Eyed Kids or were they? While I was an Alter Boy at Church since second grade I heard the grown ups talking about these spooky children and the fear they instilled in everyone. If this spine-tingling story gives you the chills, ask yourself: If approached by Black-Eyed Kids, would you let them in?