I Ain't Afraid of no Ghost

People do stupid things. I don't mean that by they believe in ghosts. I mean that by trespassing where no ghosts have ever been reported, risk-taking and dying in a mishap trying to find evidence of non-existent and never-reported spirit activity.

The University of Toronto here in Toronto, Canada has been in the news of late. One of their buildings, a beautiful ivy-covered Gothic structure at 1 Spadina Crescent (see map below) in downtown Toronto was the setting of misadventure. A paranormal investigator has died.

Two ghost hunters were exploring without permission (and trespassing in so doing) the building on the rooftop when the male jumped from one rooftop to another, and his female accomplice failed to make the necessary jump and fell four storeys to her death into what is described as an 'open courtyard.'

This is the location of the building (below) where the death occurred.

Image via Wikipedia (black arrow by author indicating the UoT Campus at 1 Spadina Cres.)

University of Toronto Building at 1 Spadina Crescent

Image Source

Police say that the 29 year old woman was being supported by a wire or cable which broke and upset her intended jump, causing her to fall. Her 34 year old male friend survived and is being questioned by police.

As of yet, there have been no charges laid and the death of the female is being attributed to death by misadventure (crim. law/torts; neither malum in se, nor malum prohibitum.)

It is possible that trespass charges may be laid upon the surviving male but for now, that has not been revealed.

Unsolved Murder Mystery Fuels Speculation about Ghosts at Campus

The building was erected in 1875 so it is old, Gothic in appearance and wrongly predisposed by some to the notion of spirit activity.

Fueling recent interest in possible spirit activity, it is noted than an unsolved murder on these premises in January 2001 occurred when 51 year old David Buller was found stabbed to death in his studio at this location. His murder has to this day remains unsolved and his assailant has not yet been brought to justice. It is possible that this recent death may revive interest in this cold case.

Some universities and historic sites do actually offer their premises to ghost hunters (see "Casa Loma: Medieval Castle in Modern Day Toronto" by author) to ply their investigative trade if for nothing more than the notoriety and novelty of being so featured. Publicity is always a good thing for business and tourism.

But this particular building at 1 Spadina Cresent has no history or reports of any ghost or other-worldly activity.

The activities of these two paranormal investigators remains in question; why did they choose to trespass this site?

Ghosts, Paranormal and the Public Media

Image via Wikipedia

Popularized by cult television programs like Ghost Hunters and Beyond, people have this assumption that every old building must be haunted. They take it upon themselves to prove it, even if they have to take risks such as trespassing upon dangerous or weak structures or, in the most recent case, being on unsafe and unfamiliar locations such as the roof.

They could well have sought permission to investigate this location and likely received it, even though there have never been any reported incidents of haunting here.

I wonder what a ghost here would say if one could record the voice. Probably something like live your life and stay off the roof.

This was an unnecessary risk and a pretty stupid way to die.