EP282 – CIRCEO MASSACRE & LETCHWORTH VILLAGE

Letchworth Village was established with the noble intention of providing care and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, as we explored in our episode, it soon became a house of horrors due to overcrowding, inadequate funding, and a lack of proper facilities. The once-promising vision of community and care turned into a nightmare.

By the 1950s, the facility was accommodating over 4,000 residents, far beyond its intended capacity of 1,000. The dire consequences of this overcrowding were evident. Mattresses were strewn in hallways as makeshift beds, and residents suffered from a lack of proper clothing and poor personal hygiene. Desperate cries for help were drowned out in a system overwhelmed by neglect.

Perhaps the most horrifying aspect of Letchworth Village was its dark history of medical experimentation on its vulnerable residents. Human trials for the polio vaccine, using children with disabilities as test subjects without their consent, were conducted within these eerie halls.  The first child to have the vaccine tried on him was only 8 years old.  Luckily, it had no adverse side effects, and then they proceeded to trial the vaccine on other children.  A few years later, the Polio vaccine as we know it was released to the public.  Electroshock therapy and lobotomies were performed, causing physical and mental anguish to those already suffering.

On the outskirts of the Letchworth Village property lies a cemetery shrouded in mystery and sorrow.  Many families chose not to have their loved ones associated with the cemetery so the grave markers bear only numbers, leaving the identities of those lost to the past. It is a chilling reminder of the anonymity imposed upon those who were deemed “less than” in society’s eyes.  After many advocated for the numbers to be switched to headstones, there was a plaque built.  It reads “In Memory of Those Who Shall Not Be Forgotten” and lists the names of those buried in the cemetery.  Finally giving them the dignity they deserve.   

Unsurprisingly, the dark history and neglect at Letchworth Village have left a deep spiritual scar on the property. Even after its closure in 1996, numerous reports of paranormal activity continue to surface. Witnesses have described hearing children’s laughter, furniture moving on its own, and doors opening and closing inexplicably. Some have felt an unsettling presence, as if being watched by unseen eyes, while others have encountered tall figures roaming the premises.

The Ghost Adventures team explored Letchworth Village. Their encounters included disembodied voices, dark figures lurking in the shadows, and chilling EVPs capturing haunting whispers. The team claimed that the energy at Letchworth Village was addictive, engulfing them like a drug and leaving them with vivid memories of their encounters.

Letchworth Village stands as a testament to the heartbreaking reality faced by countless individuals who were marginalized and forgotten by society. The horrifying mistreatment, neglect, and abuse inflicted upon them during their lifetime have left an indelible mark on the property.

We hope this story reminds us of the collective responsibility we hold to protect and care for those most vulnerable among us.