This is a real life ghost busters. The Padre Hotel in Bakersfield is one of the beautiful landmarks in our city. What people may not know is that it has a haunted past, with guests saying they have seen those from the spirit world. 23ABC's Adam Bowleswent on a ghost hunt with a professional ghost hunting team at the Padre Hotel to explore this strange activity from the dead.
Some say, the Padre Hotel on 18th street is haunted by those beyond the grave. There is even a hand print of a little girl that died long ago in the hotel.
As night falls in Bakersfield...Ghosts walk the halls of the Padre Hotel....at least that’s what some guests believe.
"We were walking up on the floor, the terrace floor, and we went just looking around at the rooms and all of a sudden all the ice makers were shutting the doors and it scared us. It was terrifying, and we heard knocks!" Edwina says.
We met her at the padre hotel for a Halloween party. She calls herself *Edwina Scissorhands.*
Edwina, and others, have reported hearing sounds of small children giggling… but not seeing anyone. But, that’s not all.
"I know there is a hand print of a little girl upstairs, I've seen it. No matter if they clean it or not, its always there. It always shows up," Edwina says.
Take a look at it for your self. They’ve tried cleaning, scrubbing, removing these small fingerprints.. but still, they stay. Built in the 1920’s, Miguel Rocha shared with us the tragic history of the Padre Hotel.
"So there was a fire on the seventh floor. This happened many years ago. A family was unfortunately trapped up there, and ever since everything they done with the building it seems there is a heightened activity on the 7th floor," Rocha says.
After the fire on the seventh floor leading to the loss of young lives, hotel staff say this floor unnerves those who dare spend the night. Sofia Cruz has seen this first hand. She works the front desk at the hotel.
"Our guests do say, they don't like staying on the seventh floor so they request not to be placed on the seventh floor," Cruz says.
This is why we're here with a professional ghost hunting team *AMPED paranormal investigations.* Ghost hunting is their passion, and Rodney Jennings is the one you’d call…
"We will come to your house if you have paranormal issues and we'll see what might be there and help you get rid of it," Jennings says.
On this night in October, They have their equipment ready…searching for the souls lost at this hotel.
"These are haunted trigger objects, what they will do..these will register anything that gets near them. We have a trigger object of a train and a truck and a bear. Each one of them is hooked up individually so if anything comes over to touch them and try to play with them we will get a response on the equipment here," Jennings says.
When the lights go out. That’s when some believe…the paranormal activity starts. It didn’t take long for things to get creepy.Sounds....Energy activating the toys...and maybe the scariest part of all… Jennings believes he’s found what he came looking for….Small spirits supposedly captured on sensor screens.
"Right over here! We have one right back over there on the bed! Up on the bed by those trigger objects," Jennings exclaimed!
What we experienced was unforgettable. Seeing what these guys do, their passion for exploring the spirit world, and the haunted past of the Padre Hotel.. all of this makes you wonder…Do you believe?
