**Millwood, Maine –** A quiet Maine town is reeling after a series of unsettling events centered around the Blackwood family and their newly purchased Victorian home, Blackwood Manor. Authorities are currently investigating reports of erratic behavior, unexplained illnesses, and what witnesses describe as a palpable sense of unease within the house. The core of the current concern revolves around the sudden, severe sickness of young Flora Blackwood, 6, and her subsequent, chilling encounter with a spectral presence in the attic.

The incident occurred late Tuesday evening. According to family members, Flora began exhibiting symptoms of acute distress – high fever, labored breathing, and a persistent, inconsolable weeping. Shortly thereafter, her older sister, Zoe Blackwood, 10, reported seeing a figure – described as a young girl in a faded blue dress – embracing Flora in the attic. Zoe immediately alerted her parents, Sheriff Ben Blackwood and his wife, Ruth.

“It was… unsettling,” Sheriff Blackwood stated during a brief press conference held outside the manor this morning. “Zoe described it as a gentle, almost loving embrace, but there was something profoundly wrong with it. The temperature in the attic dropped dramatically, and both girls became increasingly distressed. Flora’s condition worsened rapidly after the incident.”

Medical professionals have been unable to determine the cause of Flora’s illness, with preliminary tests yielding no conclusive results. “We’ve run every test imaginable,” Dr. Emily Carter, the attending physician, commented. “The symptoms are atypical, and frankly, incredibly worrying. We’re exploring all possibilities, including potential environmental factors, but the timeline of events – the sudden illness followed by the reported ghostly encounter – is deeply concerning.”

Ruth Blackwood expressed her fear, stating, “It’s like the house… it *wants* something. Or *someone*. It feels like it’s holding a secret, a sorrow we can’t understand.” Zoe, visibly shaken, added, “She just kept saying, ‘She’s happy now. She’s finally home.’”

Local paranormal investigators have been invited to the property, and the Blackwood family has requested a temporary stay at a nearby motel. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and report any unusual activity. The events at Blackwood Manor have sparked a renewed interest in the town’s history, which is rumored to be steeped in local folklore and tales of lost children.