Unveiling the Hidden History of Northern State Hospital's Lost Patients
Family members and neighbors of the now-shuttered Northern State Hospital in Washington are fighting to recover the lost patients who were confined there. Many descendants have been unable to find out what happened to their relatives or where they were buried, as patient records were sealed off and the cemetery headstones only bear initials and numbers. The closure of the hospital in 1973 led to patients being pushed into group homes or onto the streets, shaping the current mental health system. Descendants are now searching for answers and advocating for the recovery of their lost loved ones.