13 patients broke out of Michigan psychiatric hospital for kids over last 3.5 years

NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Over the last three and a half years thirteen patients broke out of a state-run psychiatric hospital for children in Northville Township.

Some of the patients who broke out of the Hawthorn Center simply “walked away,” and others “jumped a fence,” according to documents.

Local 4′s undercover team watched as ambulance after an ambulance transported patients from Hawthorn Center in Northville Township to the Walter Reuther Psych Hospital for adults in Westland on June 28, 2023.

The state’s adult and juvenile psychiatric patients will be housed in the building while a new facility is built. Sources told local 4 the move was rushed to try and calm down the recent negative reporting about the children’s psych hospital.

An unannounced active shooter drill was held on Dec. 21, 2022. Police, patients, and most of the staff, were not told that a drill would be conducted. Many people inside the center said they were terrified when an announcement came on the loudspeaker that active shooters were on the premises.

—> Emails give insight into response after active shooter drill at Michigan psych hospital for kids

In the past three and a half years, there have been 13 incidents of children ages 13 to 17 breaking out of the Hawthorn Center.

Records show some “jumped a fence” and others “ran from the parking lot waiting for transportation.” Others simply “walked away,” and in one case, “three juveniles escaped” and made their way to a nearby gas station.

All 13 were caught. One said they ran away from the Hawthorn Center because it “sucks” there. Another said he would assault people and become uncooperative if he were returned to the Hawthorn Center. One had a bloody nose and mouth and said he had been beaten up by another patient.

MDHHS is building a new psychiatric hospital on the Hawthorn Center site in Northville Township. During construction, the child patients will be cared for at Walter Reuther Psych Hospital.

Sources have told Local 4 that the Walter Reuther building is not ready or suitable for children.

One source said after the kids were brought to Watler Reuther, their rooms were not ready so many had to be held in a waiting area for up to 12 hours — and some had to sleep on the floor.