NORTHVILLE TWP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Less than a month after a 7 Action News investigation revealing a rash of patient escapes from the only state-run psychiatric hospital for children, another patient at Hawthorn Center went missing.
This latest escape happened March 15 after a 17-year-old patient was taken from Hawthorn to the University of Michigan medical facility down the road in Northville to receive an X-ray.
While there, he was able to break free from three Hawthorn staff and went missing for hours. According to Northville Township police records, the missing patient had an “assaultive past."
That’s not uncommon at Hawthorn. Through no fault of their own, many of the patients there can be dangerous as a result of the serious mental health conditions they struggle with. That’s why they come to Hawthorn in the first place.
This most recent escape marks the 15th Hawthorn patient to go missing since 2020.
After our original story, state officials told us the hospital was bringing on more security staff to address escapes.
“It does call into question, what is actually being done,” said Marianne Huff, president of the Mental Health Association in Michigan. “Particularly with this recent elopement, knowing there were three staff that were present with the individual when they were out in the community.”
Staff inside Hawthorn says escapes like this are made possible due to understaffing. Last month, there were 91 vacant positions at the hospital with openings for 27 nursing positions and 37 child care workers.
The state told us it took about four hours to find and return the missing patient.
“To think about that person having the ability to escape from or run away from the custody of staff or the hospital, of course is a huge concern because of the risk that the person can pose to themselves,” Huff said.
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.