The Mysterious Disappearance and Tragic Discovery of Margaret Schilling at Athens Mental Health Center

“The story of Margaret Schilling and the Athens Lunatic Asylum is truly tragic. It’s hard to imagine what she went through and the mystery surrounding her disappearance. The fact that her body was discovered in such a heartbreaking condition is really sad. And that stubborn stain that still remains is quite eerie. It’s a haunting tale that leaves you with so many questions”

Back on December 2, 1978, something mysterious happened to Margaret Schilling. She disappeared under strange circumstances, maybe while playing hide and seek with a nurse at the Athens Mental Health and Development Center. This mental asylum was quite massive, with over 2000 patients, making it quite a challenge to find her. Despite extensive efforts, Margaret remained missing.

It wasn’t until January 12 of the following year that they discovered her lifeless body. Some believe that her inability to communicate, being deaf and mute, might have left her trapped in a room without a way to ask for help.

When they found Margaret, she was in a peculiar position. Her arms were tightly clasped around her chest, and she had been lying on the floor like that for quite some time.

It’s fascinating to hear about the rumored ghost of Margaret Schilling that supposedly lingers around the old asylum. They say her spirit watches over people from the very room where she tragically passed away. Athens seems to have quite a collection of haunting tales, from spooky stories on campus like the headless ghost bison to its eerie cemeteries. Margaret’s story certainly adds to the list. Nowadays, people even have the opportunity to take a tour of the former asylum and witness the infamous Schilling stain.

It is indeed perplexing how Margaret Schilling, a patient who was both deaf and mute, managed to disappear from the asylum. Typically, when patients wandered off, caretakers would promptly locate them in the nearby woods and safely return them to their rooms. However, in Margaret’s case, it was an entirely different scenario. She seemingly vanished without leaving any trace behind, and unfortunately, she was never found alive. This enigmatic and tragic occurrence continues to baffle those who hear her story.

Even after they removed her body, there was a stubborn stain that remained. Despite numerous attempts to get rid of it, the stain still persists to this day.