Florida woman hears mysterious scratching from her ceiling. Then a dark black hand reaches out towards her: ‘That’s the Babadook’

A TikTok from creator Jem Calobrace (@jemcalobrace) has drawn millions of views after appearing to show a disturbing encounter inside a home, or a persistent scratching sound followed by what looks like a large, dark hand pushing through a gap in the ceiling.

The text overlay on the post reads, “Finally, I caught the unknown creature that was hiding in our ceiling and had remained a mystery for months,” convincing many viewers they were watching something from a horror film rather than a home maintenance issue.

In the clip, the camera focuses on a ceiling panel where movement can be heard before a black, hand-shaped form breaks through the opening. The moment triggered immediate shock in the comments, where viewers debated what they were seeing in real time.

“Girl, that’s the Babadook,” one user wrote, referencing the well-known horror figure Babadook from the 2014 film. Others reacted more bluntly, with comments like “WTF IS THAT” and “I believe the correct name is a hell-no,” reflecting the mix of humor and alarm that helped the clip go viral.

Just a friendly neighborhood trash panda

Calobrace later posted follow-up videos clarifying the situation, explaining that the unsettling footage was not a supernatural encounter. Instead, the “creature” in the ceiling was a group of raccoons that had entered and lived inside the structure for an extended period.

In those updates, Calobrace noted that what appeared to be a single hand in the viral clip was actually the movement of the mother raccoon navigating a narrow opening in the ceiling space. The infestation reportedly involved six or seven raccoons living above the home before being discovered.

Raccoon infestation, no minor problem

Wildlife experts say raccoons are highly adaptable and frequently enter residential buildings through damaged roofing and vents. Once inside, they can be difficult to detect for weeks or even months, especially if they are nesting in attics or wall cavities.

After the discovery, a wildlife specialist was brought in to remove the animals and disinfect the area. While Calobrace did not provide extensive technical details in the viral posts, professional remediation in cases like this typically involves sealing entry points, removing nesting materials, and sanitizing contaminated insulation due to health risks associated with raccoon droppings and urine.

Raccoons can carry parasites such as roundworm, which can become hazardous if fecal matter contaminates indoor spaces. They are also known to cause structural damage by tearing insulation, chewing wood, and disturbing electrical wiring, increasing fire risk. But what began as scratching in a ceiling ultimately became a blend of internet folklore, humor, and a reminder of how common urban wildlife intrusions can be.