Fraser Health officials say they will review the case of a B.C. head-trauma patient who left a New Westminster hospital without staff knowledge and was later found dead.
Gavin Deloes, 41, was last seen leaving Royal Columbian Hospital early Sunday morning, wearing only his gown and slippers. He had suffered possible head trauma in a traffic incident a few days earlier.
After an extensive search, his body was discovered around on Thursday evening in Burnaby, in a swampy area near Cariboo Road and Highway 1. Police said there is no indication of foul play.
Deloes’ family has said they don’t understand how someone in his condition was able to leave the hospital alone, and that they had only found out when they called to check on his condition.
Fraser Health president and CEO Dr. Victoria Lee said the health authority has spoken with the family.
“We are launching a review process to look at internally whether there’s any breaches that have been made in terms of following usual guidelines,” said Lee Friday.
Deloes body was found after a number of his personal items were found Wednesday evening in a green space behind the Salvation Army Cariboo Hill Temple in Burnaby, police said.
Those included socks, slippers, a hospital gown, an iPod and mouthwash.
His family tells Global News he would have turned 42 next week.
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