Introduction
The McMartin Preschool case is the most notorious “Satanic Panic” conspiracy in American history. Accusations of ritual child abuse, secret tunnels beneath the school, and a vast pedophile ring led to one of the longest and most expensive trials in U.S. history. But no hard evidence ever emerged, and the myth of the “McMartin tunnels” lives on in conspiracy lore.
Origins
In 1983, a mother in Manhattan Beach, California, accused preschool staff of abuse. The story exploded: children described bizarre rituals, underground tunnels, animal sacrifices, and celebrity involvement. Years of police digs found no evidence of tunnels, but “survivor” stories and fringe investigators continued to insist on a cover-up.
The Conspiracy Theory
Some believe the tunnels were real, used for occult abuse and secret trafficking. Others think the McMartin case was a test run for mass mind control and media manipulation, meant to distract from real abuses elsewhere. The case is now cited by both “true believers” and skeptics as a turning point in how society understands collective hysteria and institutional secrecy.
Core Principles and Beliefs
- Tunnels existed and were deliberately covered up by authorities.
- The case exposed (or invented) the existence of organized ritual abuse networks.
- The media, police, or “deep state” manipulated public perception for their own ends.
Controversies and Criticism
Major studies debunked all tunnel claims, but the persistence of the story shows the power of urban legend and the politics of memory.
Key Examples
- FBI and police investigations, 1980s-1990s.
- Claims resurfacing in QAnon and modern SRA movements.
Critical Analysis
The McMartin tunnels are a prism—reflecting fear, power, and the collective shadow of the 1980s culture wars.
Influential Literature: Pro & Contra
- Jeffrey S. Victor – “Satanic Panic” – Open Univ, 1993.
- Michael Barkun – “Culture of Conspiracy” – California, 2003.
- Matthew Cecil – “The McMartin Preschool Trials” – History Press, 2014.