A haunting real-life tragedy has struck one of Stranger Things’ most recognizable filming locations.
19-year-old Leah Palmirotto died after reportedly falling from the roof of an abandoned building on the Emory University campus in Georgia — a site used as the Hawkins National Laboratory in Netflix’s supernatural hit series.
According to local reports, Leah and several friends climbed over a chain-link fence around the condemned structure just before 1 a.m. last Friday. The group made their way up to the roof of the five-story building when Leah fell. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The structure, known as the Briarcliff Building, once served as a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s. It has long been closed to the public and was set to be demolished to make way for a senior living facility. The eerie location has appeared in several productions — including The Vampire Diaries — but has become best known for its role as the shadowy government lab that housed Eleven and other test subjects on Stranger Things.
A Father’s Heartbreaking Plea
Leah’s father, Todd Palmirotto Jr., spoke to FOX 5 Atlanta, urging others not to take risks for the sake of exploration or photos.
“Going to these places is dangerous,” he said. “Being with people you don’t really know — we always had something in the back of our minds that something could happen.”
He added, “I’m just hoping it was instant. I just hope she felt no pain.”
Remembering Leah
A family friend launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses and support the grieving family. The campaign describes Leah as a “beautiful and vibrant young lady” with a passion for cars, photography, and exploring abandoned places.
“Just doing stuff that normal 19-year-old kids do ended up in pure devastation,” wrote organizer Tom Cavanaugh.
Leah’s loved ones say she was originally from Florida and loved the beach, car shows, and meeting new people. She is survived by her parents, Todd and Katie, and brothers Devan and Lucca.
The family’s fundraiser has raised more than $2,000 so far as tributes pour in.
As Stranger Things films its final season, fans are revisiting the show’s iconic Georgia locations — a bittersweet reminder that the real world can sometimes hold darker stories than fiction.
Source: Fox 5 Atlanta, GoFundMe, Emory University, Netflix
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