The embroiled institution—already the subject of a government investigation since The Washington Post’s October 2024 exposé of years of bloodshed, abuse and ignored complaints—now faces yet another grim report in the final weeks of the state health probe that the violence at the facility prompted in the first place.
On December 14, 2025, two patients, incarcerated at the facility, guilty of violent felonies, beat up a third patient. It took a full 75 seconds—about the time it takes to walk a city block—before attendants finally ministered to him. The man was kicked and beaten, with his head stomped on until he lay limp and helpless. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with brain bleed and neurological damage.
Why is this hellhole still open for business?
The patient, due to his injuries, could not answer questions.
The state health department, due to ignorance or depravity, refused to.
Among the questions left unanswered:
How many on-duty security guards were assigned to the unit where the attack occurred? (Maryland state law mandates at least one guard for every three patients.)
Where were the one-on-one attendants assigned to supervise the two attackers—to stay within 10 feet of them at all times—who were known to be violent and a threat?
Why did it take 75 seconds for personnel to act while a man was lifted up, slammed on the ground twice, repeatedly kicked in the head and stomach, spat on, and stomped on nearly 20 times?
And the ultimate question is: Why is this hellhole still open for business?
We don’t need to wait for the official findings of the state investigation to be released in the coming weeks to know that rampant, unchecked violence is taking place at a psychiatric institution already notorious for facilitating a rape and a patient death.
One need look no further than the criminally clueless attitudes of psychiatric hospital officials to know that the facility will take no action to heal itself—attitudes perfectly exemplified by the (now-former) acting CEO’s comment on Clifton’s handling of the recent violence: “The response was outstanding.”
This psychiatric hotbed of abuse should not be allowed to continue harming human beings while investigations and state-level dithering continue.
It and all other psychiatric facilities implicated in crimes of mayhem and neglect must be shut down before more blood is spilled.
Shut them down now.
