Body of deceased head trauma patient, missing after leaving B.C. hospital, is found

Burnaby RCMP are confirming they have found the body of 42-year-old head trauma patient Gavin Deloes, who walked out of Royal Columbian Hospital early Sunday morning.

RCMP tell Global News that Deloes’ body was discovered around 5 p.m. in Burnaby in a swampy area near Caribou Road and Highway 1, not far from where his hospital clothing was earlier located.

Deloes was involved in a car crash on Friday, May 23 and may have suffered head trauma, New Westminster police had said.

He was last seen walking out of Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster early Sunday morning.

The New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) Major Crime Unit, along with Coquitlam Search and Rescue, the marine unit and a police helicopter had all been deployed in the search for Deloes.

NWPD Sgt. Jeff Scott had said a witness believes they had spotted Deloes in the area of Cariboo Road and 10th Avenue between 8:15 and 9 a.m. on Sunday. Another witness says they may have seen him around 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. near a church on Cariboo Road.

Deloes’ family has been notified of the discovery of his remains.

Global News had spoken with Deloes’ family after his disappearance, and before his remains were found.

“He walked out of the hospital, them knowing the condition he was in, and what had happened to him and let him walk out,” Kristel Jarvis, Deloes’ sister, told Global News.

“They didn’t even bother to call anybody. Not my parents. Not me. They didn’t let anybody know.”

Jarvis said Royal Columbian Hospital is not responding to the family’s requests for information about what happened.

“It’s disturbing and it’s confusing. He’s in a hospital because he needs to be cared for. But they failed him and they failed my family.”

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“He’s the best brother, the best son, he talks to my parents every day. It’s not like him to go somewhere and not tell us,” Jarvis said.

“This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to our family. I can’t put into words how broken I feel, how broken our parents are, my daughters, nieces, want their uncle, friends and family have really come out and shown support but no one will ever understand the pain that me and my parents are feeling right now.”