Pascuala Esparza owned a popular wedding gown shop in downtown Chihuahua, Mexico. Since this was a popular part of the city, many people who were simply window-shopping ended up becoming loyal customers to the family-owned business.
Town Favorites
Many people knew of the family. They were a sweet, older couple with a young adult daughter. They were well respected in the community, especially because they helped so many local brides.
Small Town
The community was ecstatic to learn that the small business was finally getting a wedding of their own! Their daughter was set to marry the love of her life, and of course, she was wearing one of her parents’ gowns.
Family Matters
Pascuala helped her daughter get ready for her big day. Since she was a professional, she knew how to make her daughter look like the beautiful bride that she was! The town was extremely happy for the small family.
Supporting the Family Business
Her daughter donned one of La Popular’s most popular gown and a beautiful veil. Anyone who saw her that day remembers has one of the most beautiful brides they’ve ever seen…
Wedding Time
The wedding festivities had everyone in high spirits. The families were beginning to arrive at the church, and it was just about time for Pascuala’s daughter to get going.
Bridal Party
The bridal party was on their way to the church! Emotions were running high as they got closer and closer. Then, things took a turn…
Things Took A Turn
Things were completely normal, but then something felt… Off. The bride became weirdly quiet. She started to look pale.
Gasping
As soon as they noticed something was wrong with her, she began to gasp for breath. Her muscles became stiff and she started to convulse. They had no idea what to do.
In Need of Help
Before they knew it, she wasn’t breathing at all. Within minutes, she was gone…
Autopsy
The autopsy report came out. Apparently, she had been bitten by a black widow spider. The venom in the spider is way stronger than the venom of a rattlesnake, making it even deadlier.
No Hope
The venom spread before they could even detect the bite, and she ended up perishing on her way to her wedding. Everyone was devastated.
Grieving
The family began the grieving process privately. Her funeral was not open to the public, as many would have thought. The family decided to keep everything behind closed doors.
Privacy
Since the city had so much respect for the small business family, they did not question their motives. In fact, nothing seemed off… Yet.
Back to Reality
Soon after the devastating news, the family got back into the swing of things. The shop opened up and they were slowly seeing clients again.
Things Felt Different
Things in the shop felt… Off. A lot of customers knew that the family was grieving, but that wasn’t it. In fact, it was something else that was brand new.
Mini Makeover
The shop got a little sprucing up. The inventory was updated and some of the displays had been switched around for a new fresh feeling. Clients also noticed a new mannequin that was… Different than the others.
New Face, Literally
The mannequin was dolled up in their newest wedding attire. She was in the front window and really brought all of the customers in… But, it was for the wrong reasons.
Questions Were Brewing
The mannequin was put in the window the day they opened back up for business. She had dark brown hair and porcelain skin. She was different from their other mannequins… Her features were much more realistic.
Too Realistic
So realistic, in fact, that the people who were close to the family had some suspicious about here the mannequin came from… They didn’t want to believe it, but all the signs pointed to it being true.
Human Features
Her hair looked like real human hair. Her face had small wrinkles that were just too fine to be handmade. Her fingers had the most realistic creases that they felt couldn’t have been just a mannequin.
Is That…
She looked extremely life-like. Naturally, rumors began to swirl. Many people thought that she just looked like a perfected version of their daughter. That just couldn’t be…
Rumors
As the rumors grew, more people went to check it out. People began to talk… That was definitely their dead daughter. But, how?
Mysteries Arose
Most people believed that their private grieving period was used to embalm their daughter in an attempt to keep her memory alive…
No One Knew the Truth
Grief can do crazy things. A lot of the townspeople fully believed that this was their dead daughter. The family themselves never spoke on it…
Deny, Deny, Deny
The Esparza family never denied the claims of using their daughter as a new mannequin. Even if they did this, it was obviously out of love…
The Mystery Lives On…
Both of the parents passed away without ever revealing what was truly going on. Yet, the mannequin stayed up…
87 Years Later
Now, 87 years later, La Pascualita still stands in the window, looking right back at the customers who peer at her. Now, she’s a popular tourist spot.
Frozen In Time
Still, her features have been frozen in time. Her face is the same, only looking slightly aged. The current employees of the shop don’t have an answer, but things do get weird behind the scenes…
It’s Too Much
Even today, some of the features can not be explained. It was far too realistic, and why was this the only mannequin that looks like a human? She even had varicose veins on her legs!
Current Employees
Shop workers refuse to go near her. They report being too freaked out by her presence. There’s just something off about it… Plus, only certain employees are allowed to change her.
Select Employees Can Touch Her
La Pascualita is only changed by a couple of trusted employees who have been there for years. She is the only mannequin that has rules! Why would they be so secretive about her? Is it to preserve her modesty?
All Private
The particular employees close the curtains to the public and change her in private. They do not talk about what is under her clothes… Is it because it’s actually a corpse?
Preservation
Many scientists who have taken interest in the case don’t believe the story. They’ve stated how hard it is to preserve a body so perfectly over a long period of time… But, residents still have their doubts…
Lenin
For example, Russian leader Lenin had his body preserved and put on display after his death. To keep up with the corpse, they give him regular bleach baths to preserve the skin. Every year since his death, the body is immersed in glycerol and potassium acetate for 30 days to keep it from falling apart.
It’s Possible
Some think that this is a demanding task and that the owner of a small bridal shop wouldn’t do that, but anything is possible…
News Interview
Naturally, journalists have been hounding the shop for years. One journalist finally got some sort of answer from the shop’s current owner, Mario Gonzalez…
Barely an Answer
The journalist asked, “Is it true?” and Gonzalez simply responded, “A lot of people believe it is, but I couldn’t say.” Pretty weird!
Google Proof
Going on Google street view, you can see the mannequin in the window… Something is definitely up. Time will tell! Hopefully, the truth will come out…
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