Here is a weird one...
A strange creepy-pasta YouTube channel titled "Petscop" began uploading a series of Let's Play-style videos in the middle of 2017. However, the game being played on the channel does not actually exist.
The premise is that the narrator of the series is exploring an unfinished video game he found in his house called Petscop. As he begins playing, everything seems normal until he finds the deeper, hidden segment of the game via a cheat code.
The reason I am posting this here is what seems to be part of the story being told through this creepy-pasta series.
The creator of this fake game and YouTube channel seems to have used a disturbing real life account of child abuse as the basis of the story, the death of Candace Newmaker:
Candace was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina to Angela and Todd Elmore. At a young age, she and her younger brother Michael and sister Chelsea were removed from the home for neglect and separated by social services. When she was five, her parents' parental rights were terminated. Two years later she was adopted by Jeane Elizabeth Newmaker, a single woman and pediatric nurse practitioner in Durham, North Carolina.
Within months of the adoption, Jeane began taking Candace to a psychiatrist, complaining about her behavior and attitude at home. Though Candace was treated with medications, Jeane reported that Candace's behavior got worse during the ensuing two years, a period supposedly including her playing with matches and killing goldfish.
Candace and Jeane Newmaker traveled to Evergreen, Colorado in April 2000, for a $7,000 two-week "intensive" session of attachment therapy with Connell Watkins, upon a referral from William Goble, a licensed psychologist in North Carolina.
Candace died during the second week of the intensive sessions with Watkins during what has been called a "rebirthing" session. Participating in the fatal session as therapists were Watkins and Julie Ponder, along with Candace's "therapeutic foster parents", Brita St. Clair and Jack McDaniel, and Jeane Newmaker. (from wikipedia)
The details of the story are quite horrific. Essentially, they wrapped her in layers of flannel blankets and sat on her until she went brain-dead due to asphyxiation. The Wikipedia entry (link below) explains how the case was handled in court.
Exactly how all of this was brought to many's attention through a fictional Let's Play series is interesting. It is best explained through a video analysis of the Petscop series which I will include at the bottom of this post.
Candace Newman's story seems to include many elements often discussed here at
v/Pizzagate
- child abuse, CPS, strange behavior behavior from adoptive parents... I was curious to see what some of you might make of this.
Something tells me there could be more to this story, though this is maybe more of a gut feeling. As well, it could be worth looking further into this idea of Attatchment Therapy and those who administer it as it seems reminiscent of New Age, MK Ultra-styled ideas.
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candace_Newmaker
Video Analysis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC88jsc-wpg
Petscop YT Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZKQv0ZFHpeIUkOtNjtq4KA
▼ Podge512
While Petscop is not a real video game but rather an ARG (Alternate Reality Game)/creepypasta series (a la Majora's Mask/Ben Drowned & The Wyoming Incident), it got me thinking about an actual survival horror video game series called Five Nights At Freddie's. You play as a nightwatchman in a pizza parlour called Freddie Fazbear's Pizzeria who has to guard against the animatronic puppets which wander the corridors at night. It has a backstory which featured a child having been killed in the premises some years earlier which led to the establishment being closed for a time. I have to wonder where the devs got the idea for that; is it merely a case of having bad things happen in what is supposed to be a family friendly environment to exacerbate the horror of the game, or is there more to it?
▼ spacepopecoast2coast
I've thought of that a little before too though I'm not too familiar w the game itself
the most suspect thing IMO about FNAF is how much overnight success that developer seemed to achieve, the game basically just went viral and really doesn't seem like it's THAT incredible of an idea
▼ Podge512
That's true! The actual gameplay consists of watching the puppets on the CCTV cameras and closing the doors if they get too close; certainly nothing too spectacular.
▼ YogSoggoth
I don't play VG's, but someone who does passed this to me. Hotline Miami 2. Said it had bad stuff. Can not verify. Good post.
▼ spacepopecoast2coast
thanks dude
▼ YogSoggoth
Quite welcome, even is something does not pan out, there is no reason for some to spaz out. We have hidden shills here, and I am testing them with varying amounts of backlash. Most endeavors that fail are from a lack of trying.
▼ spacepopecoast2coast
seems some comment was deleted before I got a chance to read it, maybe that's what your referring to? I assumed it was someone calling me a moron or something haha, idk why they deleted it tho
nbd tho there are some really good researchers here, I think the community is good at upvoating the most relevant content
▼ YogSoggoth
No. What I am referring too is that I might verbally/type exchange with some I deem suspect. (ask a mod) How they respond is a huge indicator as to true intention of even being here. Same thing someone would do in a simple business deal, like for instance a used car, home, or something at a flea market. Some of the top guys here are shocked that I would even question their virtue. That is my personality, and nothing personal, unless provoked. I was talking about other posts/comments in general.
▼ spacepopecoast2coast
I think it'd be foolish to put too much stock into anyone - some key contributors of solid info stick out, but sometimes people get spooky around here
▼ YogSoggoth
When you actually get visited, then you know how spooky. Hard to forget, unless the brain is damaged.
▼ specialplan
I need one more comment point so I can post, please help, thanks.
▼ EllaMinnow
Wow what a sad crazy story. The "game developer" sure knows a lot about this Newmaker case. Maybe Care NLM is representative of the sister, Chelsea. And maybe Michael, their brother, died. I'm curious for more. I'm going to try to locate the investigative group and see who they think wrote this series. Candice deserved better than the terrible parent the state found for her, she deserved much better treatment from psychologists who were supposed to help, and she definitely deserved better justice. Sounds like some kind of ritual to me.
▼ spacepopecoast2coast
it seems there were a lot of people sleuthing really hard early on, I think there is a whole Petscop dedicated subreddit
there may be a few worthwhile researchers out there after wading through the BS
▼ EllaMinnow
I read some of the subreddits and also parts of a very lengthy Google doc. However, the game/video being connected to poor Candace's death doesn't really seem like their primary interest .
▼ theoldones
okay, assuming this isnt a fake game made to fit the tale, then what that means is this was published, built and distributed in-house with no word on the outside
so who built it then