This week, we’re talking about one painting that refuses to burn and one family that decided reality was optional. From The Crying Boy curse that terrified Britain to the Tromp family’s “we’re going off-grid, kids” road trip, we’re unpacking the chaos, the confusion, and the downright weird energy connecting these two infamous tales. Seatbelts on — emotionally and otherwise.

• The Sun (1985) — original tabloid coverage that triggered the panic
  

• Punt PI, BBC Radio 4, Series 3 (2010) — “The Crying Boy” episode
  

• Massimo Polidoro, “Curse That Painting!”, Skeptical Inquirer (Nov/Dec 2012) https://skepticalinquirer.org/2012/11/curse-that-painting/
  

• Atlas Obscura, “A Painting of a Crying Boy Was Blamed for a Series of Fires in the ’80s.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/crying-boy-painting-fires
  

• Wikipedia — The Crying Boy overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crying_Boy
  

• ABC News: “Mark Tromp apologises for hurt, concern caused by bizarre family road trip”. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-06/mark-tromp-apologises-for-puzzling-family-road-trip/7818562 ABC
  

• SBS News: “Tromp father apologises over road trip”. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/tromp-father-apologises-over-road-trip/2gwj4tafd SBS Australia
  

• SBS News: “Tromp family road trip still a mystery”. [https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/tromp-family-road-trip-still-a-mystery/cu9o25rc7 SBS Australia
  

• The New Daily: “Ella Tromp charged with car theft as family’s ‘road trip’ saga mystery deepens”. https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2016/09/05/ella-tromp-stolen-car The New Daily
  

• The New Daily: “Tromp daughter found hiding in the back of a ute”. https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2016/09/02/tromp-holiday The New Daily
  

Pedestrian.TV: “Mark Tromp gives first statement after vanishing on bizarro family trip”. https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/mark-tromp-gives-first-statement-after-vanishing-on-bizarro-family-trip/ Pedestrian.tv