The true story behind Netflix’s new documentary All the Empty Rooms

Grieving families frequently leave their children's bedrooms frozen in time following school shootings in the United States, with unmade beds, strewn toys, and wall posters. These untouched spaces hold the essence of young lives cut short. Netflix's 30-minute documentary All the Empty Rooms, directed by Joshua Seftel, reveals this reality through the lens of CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp.

The film centers on four victims from distinct tragedies: Alyssa Alhadeff from Parkland, Dominic Blackwell and Gracie Muehlberger from Saugus, Jackie Cazares from Uvalde, and Hallie Scruggs from Nashville. Their seven-year project documents eight such rooms. Without showing violence or debating causes, the documentary uses intimate photos and parent interviews to honor the children as individuals.  

All the Empty Rooms premiered at DOC NYC in 2024 and was released exclusively on Netflix on December 1, 2025.

All the Empty Rooms: The Parkland shooting and Alyssa Alhadeff's room

On February 14, 2018, a gunman entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people, including 14 students. Among them was 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, a freshman and soccer player. Since then, Alyssa's bedroom has remained unaltered thanks to her mother, Lori Alhadeff.  

There are athlete posters on the walls, soccer cleats by the door, and a partially used toothpaste tube without a cap, a detail Lori remembers from Alyssa's hurried mornings. Shelves are lined with trophies, and family portraits feature her with siblings. Hartman visited in 2018 for the first CBS segment, noting how the space preserved Alyssa's determined spirit, as per CBS News. 

Lori described entering as feeling her daughter's presence again. All the Empty Rooms shows Bopp's photos highlighting these items, emphasizing Alyssa's love for animals and sports. This room launched the project, inspiring Hartman after years of covering shootings since 1997. Families like the Alhadeffs use it for private reflection, avoiding public pressure to alter it.

Saugus High School: Dominic Blackwell and Gracie Muehlberger

November 14, 2019, marked a deadly morning at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. A student killed two teens before shooting himself. Victims included 14-year-old Dominic Blackwell, a freshman football fan, and 15-year-old Gracie Muehlberger, a kind sophomore. Dominic's room displays Dodgers gear, football medals, dirty laundry in a basket, and SpongeBob posters reflecting his playful side. 

His parents, Frank and Nancy, point to unread comics and worn sneakers. Nancy calls it stepping back in time, hearing his laughter, as per CBS News. Gracie's space has clothes laid out for the week, friend photos, stuffed animals, and art supplies showing her creativity. Her parents found a journal entry urging full living, now their mantra. Hartman and Bopp photographed both rooms in 2020, capturing these details without intrusion. 

The documentary All the Empty Rooms interweaves parent visits, showing shared rituals of sitting quietly. For the Blackwells, it's where Dominic's energy lingers; for Gracie's family, a celebration of optimism. This dual focus illustrates how rooms hold multiple stories from one event.

Uvalde's Robb Elementary and Jackie Cazares

May 24, 2022, brought horror to Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers. Nine-year-old Jackie Cazares, a fourth-grader, dreamed of Paris and loved animals. Her aunt Gloria Cazares, who lost her own daughter, maintains the room with an Eiffel Tower bedspread, scattered stuffed bears, and drawings of faraway places. A backpack hangs on a chair, ready for school. 

Gloria shares how it holds Jackie's sparkle, from hugs to giggles, as per CBS News. Hartman filmed there months later, with Bopp's lens on seashell collections and whimsical art. All the Empty Rooms avoids incident details, focusing on family reflections. Police response delays drew scrutiny, but the film centers on memory. Jackie's room evokes her routine excitement, untouched since the shooting. 

Gloria describes it as a tangible link to innocence lost. Parents visit to process, preserving items like dream sketches. This segment highlights cross-family ties in grief, with the Cazares advocating quietly through preservation, as CNN reported.

Nashville's covenant school and Hallie Scruggs

March 27, 2023, saw a former student attack The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, killing three children and three adults. Hallie Scruggs, a nine-year-old third-grader and pastor's daughter, was tomboyish and adventurous. Her room overflows with seashells from trips, Play-Doh figures, mid-built Legos, and Tennessee football items. A toy safe hides brotherly secrets; books stack by the bed. Parents Chad and Jada Scruggs lay there to smell her scent post-tragedy. 

Chad notes it proves she was real, according to CBS News. Bopp was photographed in 2023, capturing school projects like her first lost tooth. The documentary All the Empty Rooms shows raw family emotion, with Jada pondering its future role. Hallie got more stitches than her brothers from play. Hartman ties it to his numbness from decades of reports. The space marks milestones, from beach finds to sibling bonds. 

Families cherish it for healing, without altering daily chaos. This final room underscores the project's scope across incidents, as per The New York Times.

Watch  All the Empty Rooms, streaming on Netflix.