19-year-old dies after falling off abandoned hospital building used in ‘Stranger Things’

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Emory Police Department is investigating a young woman’s death on Friday morning.

Police believe the woman, identified as 19-year-old Leah Palmirotto, fell from the roof of an abandoned hospital building at 1256 Briarcliff Road.

Briarcliff Building A was built in the 1960s as a mental health treatment facility and acquired by Emory when it purchased the 42-acre Briarcliff campus in 1998. It was listed among more than 40 buildings that the university rents out to filmmakers, but its webpage was taken down on Friday.

The building is best known as the set of Hawkins National Laboratory in the hit Netflix TV show “Stranger Things,” which was primarily filmed in Atlanta.

In a statement, Emory said the victim isn’t affiliated with the university.

“There are signs on the property advising people not to enter and warning them not to trespass,” the university said. “Emory is enhancing security at the site.”

Officials added that Emory “vacated” the building in 2024. Parts of the campus are being demolished to make space for a proposed senior living community.

Throughout the day, several fans of the show stopped for photos of the site and were saddened to learn about what happened hours prior.

“That is absolutely terrible,” Greg Budslick, a visitor, said.

This investigation is ongoing. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more.