Wanted for multiple murders across the country, Colton Blake goes on the run with his eight-year-old daughter Madison, whose psychic ability allows her to uncontrollably summon a supernatural sandman that is actually responsible for the deaths. In the midst of raiding a closed convenience store for supplies, Sandman materializes to murder Colton.While conducting a pinup photo shoot assisted by her boyfriend Wyatt, photographer Claire Blake receives a call to identify her estranged brother's body at the morgue. With mysterious Dr. Valentine present, Detective Price interviews Claire and reveals that her brother was wanted for murder. Claire demands to see her niece.Claire observes that Madison behaves hysterically while under the eye of Dr. Cushing at a hospital. Madison claims that Sandman is responsible for killing her father as well as paranormal activity plaguing the hospital. Abigail Farmer from the Department of Children's Services confronts Claire to intimate she will never be able to obtain permanent custody of Madison due to her lifestyle.Dr. Cushing prepares a typewritten report on his computer recommending that Madison remain at the hospital for observation. Sandman supernaturally deletes the directive. Sandman then physically manifests to murder the doctor.One Week Later - Claire brings Madison home. Madison wakes from another nightmare encounter with Sandman to find bruises on her arm. Madison tells Claire that the entity followed her, but Claire continues to be confounded by Madison's claims.Claire's disgruntled neighbor Stanley sees a news report about Colton Blake's death that identifies Madison as having moved in with Claire. Stanley menacingly confronts the little girl about her father being a murderer. Claire confronts Stanley, who warns that he spoke to Abigail Farmer in an effort to kick Claire out of her home. That night, Sandman materializes to kill Stanley in his garage.Claire takes Madison to the hospital in the morning. The attending pediatrician becomes suspicious of Claire while treating Madison's bruises.Claire returns home to see the police at Stanley's house across the street. Dr. Valentine, who is also there investigating, notices Claire. Claire asks Madison if she knows anything about Stanley's death, but the little girl tells her to go away.Claire researches her brother's history. After filling in her boyfriend, Claire and Wyatt ask Madison about Colton. Madison explains that she unintentionally conjures an uncontrollable creature from the book "The Sandman Comes at Night," and the creature will kill anyone who poses a threat to her or it. However, Colton had promised Madison that it would all be over soon. Wyatt agitates Madison by aggressively questioning her claims, causing psychic activity to disturb the bedroom.Abigail comes to the house to threateningly compel Claire to turn over custody of Madison voluntarily. When Claire angrily refuses, Abigail warns she will return with the police.Wyatt takes Claire outside where he argues that giving up Madison is the safest thing to do. Having seen the couple leave, Abigail sneaks back into the house to find Madison. Wyatt and Claire rush back inside in time to witness Sandman killing Abigail in a swirl of supernatural sand.Claire has a nightmare of giving birth to a sandman baby. Although Madison refuses to elaborate, Claire tells Wyatt she believes Colton found a way to stop Sandman. Wyatt initially suggests calling police, but seemingly agrees to help Claire.Claire convinces Detective Price to let her search Colton's impounded car under the pretense of looking for Madison's stuffed animal. Claire finds a book by Dr. Amanda Wyatt and steals a GPS containing the psychiatrist's contact information. Claire leaves a voicemail for Amanda asking her to call back.Claire returns home to find Wyatt and Madison missing. Wyatt drives Madison to a junkyard where he tries beating her to death with a brick. Madison psychically stops Wyatt's hand in midair. Madison summons Sandman, who kills Wyatt.Claire finds Madison alone at a diner. Madison refuses to reveal what happened to Wyatt, but requests that Claire take her to the mausoleum to visit her parents' crypts.Amanda calls Claire. Amanda confirms that Colton was on his way to see her as she believes her hypnotic image therapy technique can remove Sandman from Madison's mind.Dr. Valentine oversees a team of armed men tasked with taking Claire and Madison into custody. Madison summons Sandman, who kills most of the men, but she and her aunt are captured.Valentine questions Claire at his secret facility, revealing that he knows about the girl's abilities. Claire shows Madison's Sandman book to Valentine and explains that Madison brought her fear to life. Valentine expresses his desire to nurture, train, and develop Madison's power.Valentine shows Claire the containment chamber where Madison is held in isolation. During a test of Madison's psychic levitation ability, Madison nearly summons sand through an air vent. Valentine's superior puts a stop to his experiments by sending in an elimination team to carry out a cleanup protocol.The agents pump gas into Madison's chamber, allowing her to summon Sandman. Sandman begins killing all of the armed men. Valentine gives Claire instructions on how to escape the building before Sandman kills him as well.Madison gets free and flees the facility with Claire. Despite Claire's objections, Madison continues summoning Sandman to kill armed guards along the way.Claire rushes Madison to Amanda, who immediately hypnotizes the little girl. Amanda's voice guides Madison through a dream state encounter with Sandman, during which Amanda is seemingly able to unbind the entity from Madison. Madison wakes, but Sandman suddenly bursts out of Amanda's body, causing Claire and Madison to scatter to a construction site outside.In the trio's final confrontation, Madison uses her powers to psychically combat Sandman by dropping concrete on the creature. Claire turns on the power to a loose cable while Sandman walks under it, electrocuting the creature and causing it to crystallize into a solid form. Claire and Madison embrace.