From Real-Life Terror to the Big Screen: The True Events That Inspired 'The Deliverance'

Horror film enthusiasts are buzzing about Lee Daniels' The Deliverance, which recounts the terrifying tale of a family tormented by supernatural forces. The film features standout performances from Andra Day, Glenn Close, and Mo'Nique, alongside newcomer Anthony B. Jenkins, who plays the possessed child. Since its release, The Deliverance has become a massive hit, with over 14 million households watching, according to Netflix.

The film continues to dominate the platform, remaining in the Top Movies category. Now, fans of The Deliverance have become intrigued by the Ammons case – which served as the inspiration for the movie. Here’s what we know about the real-life Ammons family, who claimed to experience a series of supernatural events in their Indiana home.

The Deliverance is based on the true story of Latoya Ammons and her family's experience with supernatural beings. In 2011, Latoya and her three children moved into a seemingly ordinary home in Gary, Ind. Soon after, they reported a series of disturbing events: shadowy figures, unexplained sounds, and inexplicable occurrences involving the children’s health and behavior.

According to The Indy Star, the situation escalated when her children exhibited signs of possession, such as speaking in demonic voices and levitating. Local authorities, doctors, and even priests became involved, with several of them testifying to witnessing these bizarre events firsthand. The case became so severe that it led to a formal investigation by the Department of Child Services (DCS) in Indiana. During the inquiry, multiple people, including medical professionals, claimed to have experienced or witnessed paranormal activity in the home.

“Medical staff reported they observed the children and heard the 7-year-old making growling noises and his eyes rolled into the back of his head,” read a report from DCS (per BBC). It continues, “[The child] had the weird grin on his face and began to walk backward while the grandmother was holding his hand and he walked up the wall backward while holding the grandmother's hand and he never let go.”

Outside of the setting and names of the characters, the occurrences in The Deliverance mirrored the stories from the Ammons family. However, Lee Daniels and Andra Day wanted the lead character to have her own interpersonal conflicts.

“Lee was specific in the beginning that he did not want me to. He wanted this character to have her own layers. He wanted her to be her own person,” Andra told Today. She added, “I gleaned everything I could about the story, the priest, the police officer who also witnessed it, the facility they had the kids in — and the house.”

The real-life Ammons family was able to recover following the haunting in Indiana. Six months after the Ammons children were taken away by DCS, Latoya Ammons regained custody of the siblings. The brood moved into a new home in November 2012, and they have not experienced supernatural occurrences since then.