Alberta Hospital, another missing patient
Home > Blog > Alberta Hospital, another missing patient– May 28, 1987, Nels Karsten Norregaard was known to be missing from the
geriatric unit before noon. His attending physician, Dr. Asad Brahim, (now
Director of Alberta Hospital) failed to fill out the Form 8 to notify police of
the missing man until evening. June 1, 1987, Norregaard’s certificates
had lapsed and therefore on June 18, 1987, Dr. Brahim officially declared
the missing man as VOLUNTARY and as DISCHARGED although he had not
been found.
How troubling! When we fail to be able to account for our vulnerable
elderly patients, we simply declare their status as ‘Voluntary’ and then
record them as ‘Discharged’.
A decade later, Mr. Norregaard’s body was found on the banks of the
N.Saskatchewan river, his body partly submerged in the river.
When found, his clothing was still somewhat intact & recognizable.
The glass on his watch was broken, the watch, indicated when it
had abruptly stopped.
The clothing he had on when found did not match the nurse’s
description of what he had on when he left Alberta Hospital in 1987.
Strangely enough, his body, allegedly exposed to the elements for over
10 years was still recognizable. A Fatality Inquiry was held May 1999,
Judge P.G.Sully presided.