The Abandoned Forest Haven Asylum In Maryland Was Closed After A Lawsuit Claiming Mistreatment (2024)

Located in Laurel, Maryland, Forest Haven was operated by the District of Columbia and opened for business in 1925. Originally, Forest Haven opened under the name “The District Training School for the Mentally Retarded.” It wasn’t until 1963 that the facility changed its name to Forest Haven.

The 200-acre campus had 22 buildings and housed more than 1,000 patients. Initially, the idea was to equip the residents with life skills so that they could return to society and be a part of the community. Residents would learn how to care for the land, which included farm animals, as well as receive education. On paper, it seemed like a great opportunity to help those in need of round-the-clock care. But in practice, things did not go as planned.

Budget cuts were the first of many obstacles, and the residents suffered. But even though budget cuts and staffing shortages were on the rise, Forest Haven continued to accept more and more patients. Without having the funds to care for these patients, and the lack of repairs to the buildings, residents of Forest Haven were left to wander around empty padded rooms, often wearing nothing more than an adult diaper.

At one point, there were more than 100 jobs that needed filling. There were only two social workers for more than 1,000 patients. Forest Haven even employed a physician with a suspended medical license to practice on the residents.

Former residents told authorities they were beaten with bats, whipped, and had their teeth knocked out. Reports of physical abuse and sexual abuse were called into the authorities, and by the late 1970s, the lawsuits began.

Forest Haven was given ample instructions on how to properly care for, feed, and treat these individuals, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. The residents didn’t have a voice and weren’t seen as equal members of society. A few family members stepped up, but the horrors continued for many years. In 1981, a staff member was charged with stealing more than $40,000 from the bank accounts of Forest Haven residents. But it didn’t end there.

Aspiration pneumonia can be caused by improper feeding procedures, like eating while lying down. Often, many residents were chained to beds, cribs, and even toilets. Many of the residents were buried in a mass grave on the grounds, and it would later be revealed that at least 389 people were buried at Forest Haven.

The final 15 residents were moved to another facility on September 29, 1991, and then a few weeks later, the facilities shut down for good.

While the asbestos has been removed, that’s about it. As you can see from these photos, beds, chairs, luggage, and even medical records still remain.