Since 2000, 537 patients have died in the state's 14 mental institutions.
A News & Observer investigation shows that 82 of them died under circumstances that raise questions: homicides, suicides, accidents, inadequate treatment or mistakes.
Family members of the deceased have a legal right to receive complete information about how their loves ones died, but they are often not told the full details.
One patient died after being beaten by another patient. Another suffocated while being held down by staff. Two depressed patients were left unsupervised and hanged themselves. Several died from improperly maintained feeding tubes and catheters.
The deaths have occurred since reforms that reduced staffing at state hospitals. (N&O)
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