Suffer The Little Children, Pennhurst State Home: Eugenics + Social Services - Pennsylvania

[1998sloan]

I have a twin brother who has Downs Syndrome and I am doing this for a project for school. I am actually scared to watch this video, I started crying before I even pushed the play button. My brother could have been one of the patients here and its horrifying to think that.

[beautiefool]

This documentary aired in 1968. Yet the school (if you can call it that) stayed open until 1987. THats the world we live in. Disgusting!

[AnneFox7]

Alberta abandoned "mental retardation" for false allegation of ADD-ADHD the abusive basis for Mapleridge & Marydale Institutions. Attacks Followed those at Michenor Center a residential system equivalent of prisons for children. The attackers stopped Eugenics in 1972. Alberta, last place in the world to attack children so severely. Survivors proved to be normal children. Deinstitutionalizatrion in 1987 dumped victims into the streets. Cottage industry faked mental health now SPECTRUM disorders.

[BetterVeder]

Education about these Eugenics fueled atrocities should be made mandatory in American History classes. This ignorance we live under will only cause more suffering down the line. We are truly forsaking future generations by "white washing" history in more ways than one.

[JoyceJeffersonTV]

@BetterVeder -WELL SAID!

[charky861]

I take care of a former patient of PennHurst and I'll tell you he still has flash backs from when he was there. It's really sad to see him go through this. But now he is in good caring hands and we try to assure him that he will NEVER be treated like that again.

[Turkey2224]

@charky861 i feel bad fo r him. Who ever made a school like that is just stupid.

[music14501]

@charky861 Was he abandoned there by his family?

[spikerogan]

In 1968 Channel 10 was a CBS affiliate, it went NBC in the 1990s when they swapped with KYW3. Otherwise, this is a GREAT post!

[presidential1985]

Dr J. FEAR.....NUFF SAID

[InsaneSurvivors6]

Very quietly I say this: locking off a hyperactive person or overactive ain't the answer.

[presidential1985]

found this on a site called OPACITY if you love history or pics of old buildings and remains you'll love this site

[escobedo13]

scary. 

[GeniTLK]

I can't believe they made a horror attraction out of Pennhurst, it's just not acceptable. I bet that most of the people that go for the scare don't even know the tragic, dark history. :(

[allenerin85]

"So in other words you DRUG THEM"......... the so called doctor responds with "ABSOLUTELY".....what an asshole. He's crazier than the patients.

[Miss65boo]

Now those with cognitive impairments are in small community group homes, adult foster-style homes or similar circumstances, and politicians are cutting funding to the point where the next generation coming in to adulthood have no services available, because the funding source has been closed to new applicants to save money. This is the reality, I know, I am a state case worker and I am being told there is nothing we can offer for services to anyone who does not already have funding.

[mmvi59]

That poor little boy. I wonder what happened to him after all of this, if he was "rescued" or doomed to live his life out in an institution. That "Doctor" is a quack.

[MegaLatergator]

This type of abuse and neglect continues to happen today, probably in your own town. Society's isolated and forgotten souls. Absolute tragedy.

[mrkkerekes]

i hope those doctors burn in hell.

[jb55101]

i stayed at willowbrook from the time i was 3 to 15 i was heard of heairng but i was hyper and was sent to willowbrook a boy like john would be normal child today. when willowbrook was takin to court and the state of nyc was sued .

[UMAMIMAMU]

Fucking nuts. I can't believe I just watched that. I live about a half hour from Pennhurst and was there a couple times about ten years ago, it always fascinated me. I heard about this documentary a long time ago but I never thought I'd actually get to see it. I figured the tapes would've been taped over long ago, as was common practice back then. Where did you get this?

[rachaelg767]

is this real fotage from back then?

[furley523]

@rachaelg767 YES INDEED!!!

[michellechasez81]

I'm curious to know what happened to Johnny.

[michellechasez81]

Dr. Fear...yeah that name fits.

[13llama17]

I was interested in Pennhurst ever since I saw it on Ghost Adventures, I still am after seeing this, it's just sick that the doctors knew how inhumane and abusive they were being but did what they did anyways, how they turned regular healthy people into thin illiterate helpless patients and how only very few people actually left the asylum. it's just sad and an eye opener to how cruel the world is. It's hard to believe people actually do these kinds of things, I'm just glad Pennhurst is closed,

[MondayNightRock15]

this is just fucked up.

nobody deserves this kind of punishment.... or any in that matter. if that was me being put in there, i would be telling them off and raising hell for the care and education that is needed. 911 would be called on a daily basis, begging them to take these kids outta there!

[P00perd00pers]

It's scary to know that if I was born back then, I may have been put in there since I have autism.

[JDNightGhobhadi]

@P00perd00pers I agree. I have Asperger's.

[LindseyLittle1]

This is so sad. Some of the people in this video obviously care about the people in their care, and are being defeated by the lack of funding provided by the state. The dietitian is a key example, she tries to give them a balanced diet and make the food look appealing, But that Doctor who disciplines patients by giving them painful unnecessary injections - surely that is just assault ?

I am so glad that this place is closed.

[capang9555]

That kid john... he probably has aspergers syndrome.. My heart breaks for kids like these

[capang9555]

I have aspergers syndrome... A form of autism. It disturbs me too see what it was like a while ago.... I'm so sad

[JennPo1994]

I was just there last weekend...the grounds were amazingly creepy! the eerie quietness coming from the surrounging woods is deafening! I will say that i was in the mayflower bldg and i had my hair 'touched' multiple times, and as it happened i captured a female voice whispering something...And, while down in the tunnels, i felt something totally different! It was almost evil! There are many conflicting stories about what happened down in there but it couldn't have been all good!

[reidrules45]

Does this have all of the parts to it?

[reidrules45]

Is this the enhanced version of the 1968 new segment?

[amyjewels]

does anybody know what happpened to the little boy johnny? ive alwasy wondered

[Blackstar199098]

no wonder the town didnt want this place turned into a haunted house :/ 

[jb55101]

i lived that willowbrook state school from 3 to 15 they reason some kids acted out dumb ass docter was because we got up at 630 every morning was one nurse or two for as many as 50 people and we had half hour to eat wich was stupid because after we eat we went to the day room and sat all day thats why kids acted out. we where bored as fuck.

[charlenemonique1]

Oh and I wonder if this place is now closed down and is the same one featured on asylums thst are haunted?If so that's pretty interesting too.And the little boy who was interveiwed did'nt seem what I preferr to call mentally challenged at all.Just traumatized and depressed.Look at his surroundings-.I worked at such a place for years but the condtions are not like this,they are heavily regulated by the state.

[npfranchise1]

@charlenemonique1 Yes, this is the same place where the "haunted asylum" is.... SMH! SAD!

[furley523]

@charlenemonique1 YES...Pennhurst State Center is closed; since the 80's. Parts of it are currently used by the VA.. The army has some of their property stored there in some other unused buildings and a developer purchased a part of the grounds off of the Commonwealth of PA. That is what the haunted attraction is.

[charlenemonique1]

Yep evil ppl like that andre rand in staten islsnd.took and killed children like these because he felt that they did'nt deserve to live.It's what they say anyway.I think it was westbrook institution.

[prettigirlswagga]

=''( poor people, that's just not right...

[realzoomy]

Wicked people are stealing disabled children these days, so that they can grab their disability benefits. They use the secret family courts to accuse their natural parents of child abuse - usually MSBP - and then forcably adopt them, so they can cash in on their benefits, it is disgusting.

[FallenAngel36108]

This is very heartbreaking and Sick! People that live in the states should stop giving movie stars all these millions and take a long look at where the most help is needed!! Poor kids.. its not their faults they were born like that!!

[Metalhead121591]

@FallenAngel36108 It doesn't really work that way. Hollywood isn't state-funded. The government isn't giving money to movie stars like they should be places like Pennhurst. Also, a lot of the institutions like this were closed in the 1980s. But I agree with you that people need to have compassion for those in need. All minority groups have had great speakers to tell the public of their plight. In the case of mentally challenged people, there are no great orators, because very few are capable.

[realzoomy]

@Metalhead121591 Hollywood has been getting some of the stolen children, from the secret family courts.

[ieattofu68]

I have 5 brothers that were sent to state institutions...2 were older than me, 3 were younger...this saddens me greatly...as a child...my mom was allowed to visit them but the other kids were not allowed in to see them, just my mom...my mom wanted to keep them...the state wouldn't allow it. My mom wanted to home school them..the state punished her by sending her kids away..

[MoMsLiLmIsTaKe]

@ieattofu68 So sorry to hear that! It's just awful!!

[carnovalel]

@ieattofu68 Disgraceful!! Taking a mother's children because she wanted to care for them!!!

[willsirotak]

Society needed to move FAR away from this cruel & miserable warehousing. But, the trouble is, nothing has adequately replaced the broken system. Now, the laws for inclusion are legislated without actually being possible to implement, without more funding. Another tragedy that I'm personally aware of, is misappropriation of the funding that does get legislated for the disabled. It's literally like taking candy from a baby, to criminals used to robbing higher functioning taxpayers.

[sportsgal28]

i love uncle bill!!!! he is awesome in this... isn't this in a way muckraking?

[MegaSuperHippie]

When was this video taken? 50's, 60's or what?

[Metalhead121591]

@MegaSuperHippie 1968.

[johnny10301968]

@MegaSuperHippie 1968.

[RedDragon0719]

And now they have a haunted attraction there exploiting the memories of these kids for profit. Disgusting

[JulietteCanDrawKinda]

thats crazy and messed up and disturbing at the same time :(

[iloveoreos15]

Jesse Fear is a dick. Is he still alive? I want to find out where he lives and kick him in the nuts.

[iloveoreos15]

You blame God for this. I blame people. Humanity is just dumb in general.

[stact27]

That is reporting

[dhogie310]

I went here it was the scariest thing I ever did

[themanchild27]

this place is right by my house the owner of the land turned it into a haunted house attraction but wont let anyone on site to take pictures and such he is a total ass hole who is after money

[DJMoxie]

I'm not a sadist but I'm glad this video has been postedbecause these children should NOT be forgotten. This story must be told.

[pkwyrules14]

wait do you (presidentofyaoiland) want the children to suffer?? "suffer the children, pennhurst...."

[devilprincess1666]

this kind of shit happens today in places nobody wants to mention or even admit these kind of things happen in NURSING HOMES to a degree its soul breaking

[stej891]

thank god this video in now ahead of the fucking hunted house bullshit

[SchaNoorain]

Ghost Adventure brought me here ;)

[MyJacky03]

wow changes are good.:(

[andrewbyrdful]

Amazing how this made its way to LBJ in the White House, and STILL nothing happened. At least it closed down.

[InayaUrbanec]

Having worked in the mental health field for several years, theres not much that shocks me but this truely did I understand that the mental health field has jumped leaps and bounds ahead since this filming or since this place was in operation, and thank what ever god there is for that but this honestly made me angry and honestly cried I think the main point of my ramble is simply this "either we all matter or non of us do"...and in my opinion ignoring this is simply giving consent!

[flyyspit]

A lot of kids died there before they were allowed to be humans and used as guinea pigs...

Pennhurst is pure evil.....

[MrPaulhoward1968]

Does anyone on earth know if joe is alive or where his wherebouts might be today.

If so please contact me

[showorker]

My mother worked here back when she was 16 as an intern during the summer. Her stories give me chills- this documentary doesn't even display some of the horrible acts that my mom has told me. My mom went on to become a music therapist and worked in much BETTER facilities for the clients.

It is my dream however, to walk through the halls with my mom and put locations to the stories.

[MrPaulhoward1968]

Joe you got you wish mate. God has visited you and heard you very loud and clear and send his love. Look out to your government.

Love Jesus

[watchensee]

When did they close Pennhurst? :(

[cupcakexscream]

@watchensee 1986.

[TjmjDK]

@watchensee I think they closed the place in 1986 or 1987.

[tashaLuv1]

Force Down,Talk Down how Sad a Dr would even think never mind do to anyone,I've read about this place in many places & pretty sad that some would think it was "ok" treatment even in the 80's,I worked in group home & it wasn't a place of Fear neglect ,when I heard Joe say he'd Luv to see God that was touching I hope Joe is doing well along with the others who got out of there,sending U Luv Joe...

[cubone111]

This is where the media helps out for once rather then stir problems. the media is sort of the speicial forcs of uncovering things

[conmanwebb]

thumbs up if ghost adventures brought you here

[MoyaLinda83]

johhny seems to know whats going on around him. He can comprehend and hold a conversation. I guess those are the ones they targeted, in order to silence them

[jettenjetta]

We could always be like hitler. He went around to a bunch of the asylums and gave drugs to all the children and they all died in 14 minutes.

[cuierrier1]

so sad

[CaleOwens]

@ 25:09, Dr. Fear confesses pretty much to crimes against humanity. His idea of treatment was pure evil. 

[mimichu1]

wow this is so sad.. and i cant even beileve some people find this FUNNY. bitches EVERYWHERE in the world..

[xeokym]

@mimichu1 those people laughing or finding this funny are doing so in a cowardly way, because they're hiding behind the anonymity that is the internet. I'd like to see them laugh & crack jokes if they were alone and physically there at the time & place the video was made, do you think they'd laugh then? People who act coldly & laugh at stuff like this are doing it because they're emotionally retarded & immature, & they don't know how to handle it so they make jokes. Pathetic!

[Laughingblades]

If I have one objection to this film, it does not mention the chemical lobotomy many of these children have doubtlessly had performed upon them.

[Laughingblades]

Sadly this sort of abuse continues today.

And understand this, the psychotropic cocktails that patients in these institutions are placed on could turn the sanest and most brilliant among us mentally retarded, and to be admitted and drugged in these places takes far less than most of you realize, especially for children of abusive and unfit parents.

[johnny10301968]

Dr.Jessie Fear is Josef Mengele reincarnaited.

[TheRalphus666]

Never heard of a more fitting name for someone as Dr Fear

[ladifecal]

As s young man back in the mid 70s I worked in a similar institution , Colorado state home & training school . It wasn't as bad as Pennhurst , but I did witness suffering on similar levels . I will never forgot the sadness and suffering I witnessed . To this day I'm a advocate for people with special needs , I feel footage like this must be shown to all people , the shame of are history in America and what we did with are less fortunate .

[13llama17]

wow that's awful. the dr. said I forced him, well I talked him into lying in the bed I didnt abuse him. they new how cruel they were and didn't care. at least a few got help and compassion.

[0holly7]

fucking terrible.

[g2g4m10]

why do people like this video?

[shinzomoon]

@g2g4m10 Its not that people "like it" you press the like button and it shows to other people in your friends list and spreads the truth about what has happened. Spreads awareness.

[ClassyGirl07]

@g2g4m10 because they appreciate the person who posted the video...and their intentions to inform/educate society. mainly a way of thanking that person for posting it.

[zephyrfalcon1966]

hate to say it, but Pennhurst seems to have been nothing more than a modern day version of one of the death camps in Nazi Germany......

[TheGhostgirl350]

my ant was special an the place she was at beat her,may b responcible 4 her death,idk no 1 will tell me,atleast the place looked decent,u never would of known wat they did,how did those fam2ys do that to thier children,i no some people can do bad things,but leave thier children there and knowing the conditions?i would never be able 2 do that,and 4 kids 2 go there who werent even special an just hav 2 liv lik that just 4 lack of proper teaching,it makes me sick.

[allanro28]

i work at a small group home for 3 children...they are treated so well...i am glad we have better services today but we can still do better...we have to worry about our own as well as other countries

[Lilblondievic]

Im a carer for adults with autism... this right here kills me :(

[macrent2]

This is not a place people went to get better, thats for sure!

[chernobleman]

Anyone who watches this and still think GITMO is a human rights abuse, please load a gun and shoot yourself in the head now. GITMO is a JOKE compared to this.

[MrRawrkittyRawr]

You know what's weird? I thought the dude said the mentally retarded... Maybe he did.. o.o But, this is sooo sad

[TheSHERIE68]

35:54 sounds to me that he said sadists so cruel like cuts by a sword.

[TheSHERIE68]

I ran into a friend I had not seen in 20 years because she had been locked in Western State and I had moved to Seattle. Yesterday I recognized her and said hello and it was her, she had been locked up 10 years she looks 10 years older as she is and has lost all her bottom teeth. Her voice changed and no happiness is in it she lives in a senior home and gets 3 injections and many pills every week.. I remember her crazy laugh and silly way about her, that is gone from her, it was taken from her.

[karr1111]

Its sad that they do this to children.

[navarrokun]

@macandcheese100 i totally agree and i hope the ignorace of the community is gone. if there one place like this there must be more we never even thought about.. well til now

[mackandcheese1000]

thank lord that this place is now closed and no one has to live like this.

[mamasuntwinkle]

@mackandcheese1000 - Incorrect. That place yes, others no. Psychiatric and pharmaceutical fraud / abuse is worse than ever. Most of the time these crimes are hidden, because like foster children, records are sealed and they disappear into the system. No one would know. Look up the House that Aids Built (I also have the video), and it continues today in juvenile prisons, group homes, and homes just like this one.

[mackandcheese1000]

@mamasuntwinkle live like that for a day have you huh? i know someone who has so live those places for a day i know ppl live like that but that place was worse than places today because back then ppl were ashamed of their loved ones and children..thats not today though ppl care and help back then they didnt care

[navarrokun]

@mamasuntwinkle i agree this still continues

[MoMsLiLmIsTaKe]

@mamasuntwinkle And just think of the kids who go through this in their own home. :(

[barf245]

@mackandcheese1000 they are reopening this place in the future for education purposes

[broncobra]

@mackandcheese1000 google or youtube "A Conspiracy Of Silence" and watch the documentary by Nebraska Senator John DeCamp on the Boys Town abuses. It went all the way to the White House. How does an orphaned kid know how to describe all the rooms in the White House? Drugs, sodomizing, flown all over the Country for sex abuse, it's all there. It was supposed to air on cable tv, but got pulled at the last minute by "high ranking" officials - The White House. (yeah, the President)

[Infernusism]

@mackandcheese1000 People are still living like this in Serbia,Iran ect..

[npfranchise1]

@mackandcheese1000 legislators are SERIOUSLY considering bringing this institutions BACK! They've also cut budgets for the people we support by 6% and are considering MORE cuts

[grettagrids]

@mackandcheese1000 there are still group homes that abuse people.. I personally know of one in MN that should be closed.

[carnovalel]

@grettagrids I hope you have reported it. I am in the Developmental Services Field.I support people with disabilities and mental illness to reach their full capacity, and encourage full integration in the community. Persons with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else. I think everybody should watch this video, institutions still exist in many parts of the world and many group homes still operate as institutions. Imagine one of those children was a member of your family.

[mackandcheese1000]

horrible just horrible

[CaitlinBrooksMusic]

Shame on Pennhurst!

[superlurf]

That toy you see @ 15:23 I had one exactly like it

[johnbarleycornmd]

thank you for this very important post.

[samantha233100]

srry but these people kinda creep me out..but had no right to treat those poor ppl like tht!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

[mtrekster]

Dr feere monster!

[dennisrayso]

shame on these parents, youre suppose to guide your child no matter what.

[DarkAntiU94]

@dennisrayso

allot of the parents needed help and where not aware of the conditions.

do research fool

[dennisrayso]

@DarkAntiU94 so you're saying you would ditch your kids if they're retarded, you are sick

[DarkAntiU94]

@dennisrayso

WTF?

Where the fuck did I say that you idiot?

[TehCheezBurgrz]

"Who would you like to visit the most in the whole world?"

"God."

This is a awful place, i'm glad it is long gone.

[bioshock901]

DR Feere is the superman of pennhurst

[Rixera]

Poor Johnny! Why would they tortue this kid? There are no words for scum like that >:(

[johnny10301968]

The one patient(the one with the glasses.) that lived at Pennhurst said he has,nt had a visitor since 1940 this was in 1968 28 fucking years with no visitors.What kind of a life is that?

[ixtoothint]

@johnny10301968 Cruel and fucked up.

[johnny10301968]

@ixtoothint You can say that again.

[ixtoothint]

@johnny10301968 You are so right.

[Presidentofyaoiland]

Ad holy shit how ironic that the dr in barge of such a horrible place is named dr fear. Sound like a fucking b horror movie. I hope he went to his grave feeling a profound sense of anguish. Would also love to give him a painful injection to teach him a lesson. With a ht poker

[Presidentofyaoiland]

I'm an atheist but holy shit, when he asked that last boy "if you could have a visit from anyone in the whole world who would it be?" an he said "god" I cried. How much despair to assert that though they don't visit you, in 10 years, ur family STILL loves u, but if u could have anyone visit it would be god... Jesus fuck. Not to mention thy wanting a visit from god means he's never felt that his god saw or cared... What a terrible lesson those administrators failed to learn from aushwitz. Anyone

[ixtoothint]

@Presidentofyaoiland The people that worked at Pennhurst are insentive and uncaring people. They are Nazis! Why did they wait so mnay years to close Pennhurst?

[johnny10301968]

@Presidentofyaoiland How about the guy who has,nt had a visitor since 1940 when i saw that i thought shit my parents were,nt even born yet nor were we in ww2 yet the last time he had visitors what in the blue fuck kinda life is that? P.S. I believe God exists i hope that does,nt offend you.

[ITHEREONETHATHASNT]

"We are trying to degrade them but i dont see that as inhumane" Wow times have either changed or this guy was as bad as i view him today in his own time. FUCK YOU JESSE FEAR I will not judge but god will.

[DJMoxie]

I really hope there is a special place in hell fr people lie Jesse Fear who intentionally harm anyone who can't defend themselves, or tell anyone whats happening to them.

[vampaubrey]

the doctors,nurses,and parents of these children should burn in hell. I wouldn't even treat my animals like this.

[DJMoxie]

@vampaubrey For what its worth I agree with you wholeheartedly but I think the problems that these places had lie within poor funding, poor understanding, and poor staffing decisions.

[Weetbix05]

ohhh my godness...what a nightmare...