On December 19, 2025, Leah Palmirotto, 19 years old, lost her life while exploring the abandoned Georgia Mental Health Institute - the building known to millions as Hawkins National Laboratory from the Netflix series Stranger Things.
She fell from Building A, the five-story structure that served as the exterior for the fictional laboratory where Eleven was held. The building had been fenced, posted with warnings, and scheduled for demolition. But for fans of the show, the pull of the location proved stronger than the barriers.
What Happened
Date: December 19, 2025
Location: Georgia Mental Health Institute, Briarcliff Campus
Victim: Leah Palmirotto, 19
Cause: Fall from Building A (5 stories)
Reason for visit: Stranger Things filming location
Leah was one of countless fans who have visited the site since Stranger Things premiered in 2016. The building's brutalist architecture, underground tunnels, and eerie atmosphere drew urban explorers, photographers, and devotees of the show from around the world.
Following the tragedy, Emory University announced increased security measures and accelerated demolition plans. The building that housed so much history - both real and fictional - will soon be gone.
Why We Include This Page
This investigation began as research into the building's past. But the building's present matters too. A young woman is dead because she wanted to see where a television show was filmed.
We document the history of this place - the MKUltra connections, the 46 children, the court cases, the tunnels. But we also acknowledge: this building continues to claim victims. Not through experiments. Not through institutionalization. Through the simple, tragic intersection of curiosity and danger.
A Message to Fellow Fans
The building is not worth your life.
No photograph, no video, no social media post is worth the risk.
The structure is unstable. The floors are rotting. The dangers are real.
Leah Palmirotto was 19 years old.
Honor her memory by staying alive.
To Her Family
We did not know Leah. We do not presume to understand your loss. But we recognize that behind every statistic, every news headline, every cautionary tale, there was a person. A daughter. A friend. Someone who loved a story enough to seek out where it was made.
If this page causes pain, we apologize. Our intent is not to exploit tragedy but to ensure that Leah's death serves as a warning to others who might follow the same path.
If you wish for this page to be removed or modified, please contact us.