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1934

In January Gladys suffered from a severe nervous breakdown. The Atkinsons called an ambulance which drove her to the Los Angeles General Hospital.

During her hospitalization, the Atkinsons and Grace McKee took care of Norma Jeane.

Grace was Gladys' friend and confidante (). She also worked as a cutter for the movie studios.
She had met Gladys in 1923 at the Consolidated Film Industries.

In February Gladys was sent to an asylum in Santa Monica before being transferred again to the Los Angeles General Hospital. She went out sometomes on week-ends.

The terrific Grace, who didn't have any child, took a great care of Norma Jeane. The child remained with the  Atkinsons, in the Arbol Drive's house, and Grace visited her every day.
To be able to pay the mortgage payments, some furniture from the Arbol Drive's house, were sold, on Grace's advice.
 
In Fall, Gladys' house was put on the market.

Grace didn't took Norma Jeane in her house; actually she had decided to become the little girl's legal guardian, but for that, the California State demanded the proof of the biological parents' permanent disability. The child also had to spend 6 months in an orphanage of the area, waiting for the guardianship to be accepted.

So the little girl was first placed at Grace's sister, Enid Knebelkamp's home. Enid and Grace's aunt, Ana Lower

() also took care of the child.

In December Gladys was transferred to the Norwalk State Hospital (), a psychiatric asylum where her own mother, Della, had died. Gladys stayed there until 1938.

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