10 Disturbing Stories That Sound Too Twisted to Be Real

Some stories are so disturbing, it’s hard to believe they really happened. In this article, we’ve put together a short list of twisted tales that push the limits of what sounds possible. These are not ghost stories or legends—they’re real events that show just how dark and unexpected real life can be. Get ready for a glimpse into the strange, the shocking, and the deeply unsettling.

• My 6yo Lily cries each time she sees my MIL, while she adores my mother. Last weekend, my MIL unexpectedly offered to babysit for our date night. Lily started to shiver and said, “NO! Don’t leave me with her!” But we did.
  When we got back, I walked in and nearly fainted when I saw my child standing there with tear-streaked cheeks and a sorrowful expression... I discovered that her long, beautiful locks were completely gone. She now had a blunt short bob.
  My MIL had cut her hair without my consent and clearly against Lily’s will. It felt like a deliberate, spiteful act — perhaps born of jealousy over the close bond Lily shares with my mother, a connection often nurtured through hair-braiding, styling, and gentle play. My MIL must have wanted to sever that link entirely.
  Now I can’t help but wonder: how long has she been unkind to my daughter behind our backs? It would certainly explain Lily’s ongoing fear and her refusal to ever be left alone with her.

• After both of my grandparents on my dad’s side had passed away, my dad discovered he had a sister. While cleaning out my grandparents’ apartment, he found her birth certificate. After some research, he learned that he had a sister who was severely mentally disabled.
  It seems my grandparents weren’t prepared to raise a child with her needs. Unfortunately, they’re no longer around to question. My dad was 46 when he found out about his sister. © and_of_four / Reddit

• When I was around five years old, I had a birthday party. A “friend” of my father came and asked me what I wanted for a gift. I told him I wanted a racetrack with cars. He snapped his fingers, and another man who was with him left and came back 30 minutes later with a set worth about $1,000.
  My parents forced me to give it back. I found out later that the man was a recruiter for the mafia, and they were trying to get my father to join or do some things. © mrnix / Reddit

• When I was a kid, I used to think I was visiting my grandpa at work. Later on, I learned that his “work clothes” were actually a prison uniform. A twist to the story is that my grandmother cheated on him with the sheriff who arrested him and still lives with that guy to this day. © Plumerian / Reddit

• Earlier this year I went to the doctor to get some medication for my acne as my skin had been really bad. For the medication I was going to go on, I had to take a pregnancy test. No worries there, as I was on birth control, or so I thought. The pregnancy test came back positive.
  After a few blood tests to try and see how far along I was, it looked like I was miscarrying. At the scan, they found that I wasn’t miscarrying and that I was 27 weeks and 5 days. That’s like 6 months pregnant. © uliketheb*** / Reddit

• When I was about 10 or 11, I was over at my best friend’s house with a bunch of other friends. Some guy showed up at my friend’s house who was apparently her uncle. We were all excited about his motorcycle and begged him to give us a ride.
  More than 10 years later, I brought it up to my friend, but she had no idea who I was talking about. She said she didn’t have an uncle or know anyone who rode a motorcycle. It scares me to this day: some random man gave us rides on his motorcycle. © kshee87 / Reddit

• When I was about 14, I was walking around the grocery store with my dad. I was on my phone and didn’t see him turn the corner into the other aisle. I looked up and saw he wasn’t there, instead, there was a mom and her toddler-aged daughter now in the aisle with me.
  I looked up to find my dad for maybe 20 seconds. At that time, I watched the daughter say, “Mommy, I have to sneeze!”, which prompted her mother to get on her hands and knees and allow her daughter to sneeze in her mouth. Then she got up, and they acted like nothing happened. © bonybug / Reddit

• When I was 10 years old, I was at an overnight camp with a friend of mine. We were in a large room that had a radiator up against the wall. My friend happened to see a large wad of chewing gum stuck to it. She pried it off, put it in her mouth, and chewed it as if that was normal behavior. © DareWright / Reddit

• I had a best friend growing up who was also my neighbor. My siblings always said that I looked like him, and it would be funny if we did a DNA test. Years go by, and we are both in our late 20s when he, on a whim, does the Ancestry.com DNA swab.
  Turns out he matches with my family. He’s my half-brother, and Dad had to explain a lot that day. © monstergoro87 / Reddit

• Once, I was in the subway. A guy in front of me rushed towards me and picked something up from the floor right next to my foot. He put it in his mouth and started chewing on it. It was an old and stepped-on gum that was glued to the floor. © valoudev / Reddit

All families have things they prefer to keep quiet, but some secrets are far more troubling than others—and they don’t always stay buried. In this article, you’ll discover 10 jaw-dropping family revelations that stayed hidden for years before finally coming to light when people least expected it.