What started as a late-night drive past a dark, boarded-up house in Plainfield, Illinois, quickly became a full-on internet mystery — complete with Morse code theories, law enforcement check-ins, and millions of views on TikTok.
The home went viral after TikTok users @extraordinaryjoseph and @jake.l..owens posted videos showing porch lights flashing in a pattern that many viewers believed looked like an SOS distress signal. Joseph’s clips drew roughly 1.4 million and 3 million views, while Owens’ videos climbed to about 2.4 million and 5.4 million views, fueling speculation that someone inside the seemingly abandoned property might be trying to communicate.
In the videos, the house appeared sealed off, with boarded windows and no visible activity — details that only intensified the comment-section debate. Some viewers urged people to contact authorities, while others argued over whether the blinking actually matched Morse code.
Tonight in Plainfield, Illinois, I saw something that has been bothering me. I was driving past a boarded up house, and I noticed both the front and back porch lights were flashing like a signal. Not a power flicker, they were purposefully turning on and off, over and over. It immediately reminded me of Morse code or a silent distress signal and if someone was trapped inside, that could be their only way to communicate. I called 911 right away and stayed nearby until police arrived. They pulled up across the street at what looked like a truck stop area, and from where I was parked, it didn’t look like they got out of their car. After waiting about 10 minutes, I left thinking they were going to investigate. About 15 minutes later I drove past again and the lights were still flashing, no police in sight and I could faintly hear what sounded like someone calling for help. So I called 911 again. A Plainfield officer called me back and said They waited outside the house for 20 minutes They saw and heard nothing They weren’t going back And that a “flickering light” isn’t enough reason to investigate They also told me they “don’t know Morse code,” and acted like I was crazy for thinking flashing lights could be a signal. I don’t want to assume the worst but if someone is trapped, hiding, or being held against their will, turning lights off and on might be the only safe way to ask for help. I did what I could. I called twice. But if anyone lives near this area, please keep an eye out or call if you see something urgent. And to the person whose inside that house, If you were trying to signal for help, I’m sorry if the system failed you. I took you seriously.
NBC Chicago reported that both Plainfield police and the Will County Sheriff’s Office responded to the property multiple times and said they found no indication that anyone was in immediate danger. Deputies later confirmed the home was locked and boarded up, with no signs anyone was living there.
Still, the online speculation didn’t slow down — until the owners stepped forward.
In a series of TikTok videos, daughter Isabelle Czwodzinski and her father, Wally, walked viewers through the property, unlocking the front entrance and showing mostly empty rooms with signs of past vandalism. They also removed the blinking fixtures and demonstrated that the lights were solar-powered and simply malfunctioning.
“This is for all the light people out there — the SOS flashing. It’s just what it does,” Isabelle said in one clip while holding up one of the small solar lights.
Isabelle added that the sudden attention caught them off guard, but she was relieved the videos helped calm fears. “Honestly, the fame and popularity was unexpected. I’m not someone who ever craved the spotlight and suddenly having it practically overnight over a silly video of me and my dad going into the property was crazy,” she said.
SOS in Morse code! An abandoned property in Plainfield, IL flashes SOS. This property appears abandoned with boarded up windows and doors… from the inside. It’s surprising it would even have electricity… let alone flash SOS Concerned, we contacted the police. They went to a parking lot across the busy street, said they didn’t see anything, didn’t know Morse code, and would not investigate the property. With further investigation—including other witnesses, it appears these SOS lights have been happening at this property at least for a few months across 1-3 lights on the house: front porch to the right, side, and back porch. Some people have seen packages delivered there and disappeared. Some people have heard Plainfield Police and Fire Departments use the house for training (but why wouldn’t they say that when contacted?). Others said the property is under renovations (hense the boarded up windows and doors from the inside) and the light is to scare trespassers (but why would a property currently up for COMMERCIAL sale for 6.7 million be under house renovation?) At the minimum, it is creepy… at the worst, something horrific is happening… and at the very least, we would hope the authorities would investigate and/or communicate what is going on. If nothing is going on, please don’t use an SOS setting for your lights… HOPEFULLY we got concerned over nothing, but just want to make sure people are safe
“I’m so incredibly glad I could reassure so many people that it was in fact just faulty lights and there was no crime happening.”
The family also thanked local authorities for checking the property and said most of the concern came from a good place. “My final statement overall is just I’m really glad that when the world is in such a high tension place, there’s people out there that want to do good so badly,” Isabelle said. “It’s real proof that we’re all human and we care about one another.”
What could have stayed an internet rumor instead turned into an unexpectedly positive moment — and the family even channeled the attention toward charity, auctioning off two of the solar lights to benefit Habitat for Humanity.
