A mother in Maine was horrified to discover a mysterious third figure in a photo she took of her husband and daughter at a lake. The image, which went viral on Facebook, was later claimed by a grieving mother to show her deceased daughter.
Family Day Out Turns Viral
Kristopher Levasseur was enjoying a day out at Lake Auburn, Maine, with his partner, Stephanie Renaud, and their young daughter. The photo was taken on September 7, 2020, as the family took advantage of good weather after being cooped up during Covid-19 restrictions.
At one point, Kristopher, from Lewiston, Maine, opened some snacks and offered them to his little girl. Stephanie took a quick picture of the father and daughter together by the lake, and the family continued their day as normal.
The Discovery of the Third Figure
That night, while Kristopher caught up on TV, Stephanie sat beside him, staring at his phone with an almost “frightened” look on her face. She showed him the picture, and at first, he thought nothing of it, until she pointed at the top left of the screen, where the face of a woman was in shot.
For the next week, the couple could talk about nothing else, unable to come up with an explanation. The story was later documented by YouTuber MrBallen, who shares “strange, dark and mysterious stories” with his 11.3 million subscribers. MrBallen said: “Like, they didn't understand how that thing could be in frame. It really made no sense at all. And so Kristopher is like obsessing over it. So is Stephanie. And they've got no answers. None of their friends have any idea what it is.”
Facebook Post and the Identification
On September 16, Kristopher posted the picture on Facebook with the caption: “Does anyone notice anything else weird about this picture? Creeping me out.” He later added in the comments that “nobody else was there” and that it was giving him "goosebumps".
Facebook users shared their shock, and soon the name Jessica Gallant appeared in the comments after her mum, Jennifer Gallant, became aware of the post and wrote: “That’s my daughter.”
The Tragic Backstory
Jessica was found dead in a pond at the northern tip of Lake Auburn in July 2018, with her cause of death undetermined. An autopsy later revealed several drugs were found in her system. Her naked body was found by fishermen, and her friend, April Collins, later told CBS that Jessica was in recovery and trying to create a better life for her son.
April added: “I’m hoping we find answers, and my feeling is somebody did this to her. I’m hoping justice is served, not only for her, but everybody who loves her and cares for her. She has a lot of family and friends that adore her and we all need closer.”
Public Reactions and the Unsolved Case
Comments under Kristopher’s Facebook post, which remains online publicly, included: “Could it be the person they found floating a couple years ago in the lake?” Another said: “That is definitely the girl who passed away near there that is so creepy and cool at the same time.” A third said: “I’m convinced it’s her.”
Concluding his video, MrBallen, referring to the mum of the deceased, said: “It was her daughter's face, undeniably so, at least to Jennifer. And she's thinking, you know, the picture was taken right near Lake Auburn. That's my daughter's ghost. And so she believes her daughter's spirit is effectively haunting Lake Auburn and will continue to do that until her case is closed. But unfortunately, as of today, Jessica Galant's case is still unsolved.”
