Authorities say the 19-year-old fell from the roof of the fenced, five-story Briarcliff Building A before dawn Friday.
ATLANTA, GA — A 19-year-old woman died early Friday after falling from the roof of an abandoned Emory University building in DeKalb County that was used as the Hawkins National Laboratory set in the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” according to police.
Officials said emergency crews were called to 1256 Briarcliff Road shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, Dec. 19, after reports of a fall at Building A on Emory’s Briarcliff campus. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Leah Palmirotto. Investigators said Palmirotto was with a group that entered the shuttered, five-story structure, which is fenced and posted with no-trespassing signs. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Emory University police are leading the investigation with assistance from DeKalb County police and fire crews. Authorities have not said why the group went inside or how long they had been there before the fall.
Police said the call came in around 12:50 a.m., and responders arrived within minutes to the midcentury complex off North Decatur Road. The building, part of the former Georgia Mental Health Institute campus acquired by Emory in the 1990s, has been vacant for years and is known locally for TV and film shoots. Officers at the scene said the group appeared to have scaled a chain-link fence that surrounds the property and made their way to the roof. “There are signs on the property advising people not to enter and warning them not to trespass. Emory is enhancing security at the site,” an Emory spokesperson said in a statement. Friends who gathered near the tape line Friday afternoon described Palmirotto as a “beautiful soul” and said she enjoyed photography.
Investigators described the structure as a five-story former hospital and research building with offices, labs and underground service areas. The site became internationally recognizable as the exterior of the Hawkins National Laboratory in “Stranger Things” and has also appeared in other productions. Police said Palmirotto was with several companions when she fell from the roof. Officials did not release the number of people in the party, their ages or whether any were detained. Her city of residence was not immediately available. Detectives were documenting the scene through the morning, interviewing witnesses and canvassing for nearby security footage. The precise path the group used inside the building and the distance of the fall remained under review late Friday.
The Briarcliff campus dates to the 1960s, when the state operated the Georgia Mental Health Institute there; Emory later purchased the property and opened parts of it to academic and film uses. University listings once promoted Building A to productions for its institutional interiors and roofline before the page was taken down. In 2022, redevelopment proposals called for taking down portions of the complex to make way for senior housing, but demolition has not been completed. The filming boom in Georgia, coupled with social media interest in on-location selfies and urban exploration, has drawn sightseers to well-known sets even when closed to the public. Local residents said they often see people photographing the exterior despite boards on windows and warning signs at gates.
Emory University police said they are the primary agency on the case. The department will forward its findings to the DeKalb County District Attorney if criminal charges are considered. Authorities did not indicate any suspicion of foul play Friday and did not detail whether alcohol or other factors were involved; toxicology testing will be part of the medical examiner’s review. Officials said additional information, including autopsy findings and any citations for trespassing, would be released as reports are completed. No memorial details were immediately provided by family members.
By midday, yellow tape still ringed the entrance drive as a handful of fans and neighbors passed in silence. “We just came here this morning and thought they must be filming,” said Sara Rhiel, who visited with relatives after hearing sirens. “It’s really, really sad,” said Jessee Rhiel, adding that the campus often attracts visitors because of the show. A friend who spoke by phone said Palmirotto loved taking pictures and exploring with friends. University workers could be seen checking gates along Briarcliff Road while a security patrol idled near the north lot.
As of Friday evening, Emory police said the investigation was ongoing and security was being increased around the fenced property. Officials said the next public update would follow when the medical examiner’s report is finalized and any investigative findings are ready for release.
Author note: Last updated December 20, 2025.