Island Health is facing some tough questions after the death of a palliative care patient.
The family of Gordon Kriese are heartbroken.
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer and suffering a stroke, the 82-year-old man was hospitalized in Duncan at the Cowichan District Hospital.
Less than a week later he was involved in an altercation with another patient.
According to family, Kriese was alone in a washroom when a dementia patient entered and assaulted him.
His lungs were punctured and several bones were fractured in the assault.
They believe that lead to his death and are outraged the attack was not initially reported by the health authority to RCMP or the coroners office.
The incident was only reported when the family expressed concern the incident was potentially criminal in nature.
In a statement, the Vancouver Island Health Authority says “the facts of the incident as we understand them are different from what has been presented. Island Health is currently conducting and internal review and cooperating with the RCMP in their investigation. We understand the coroner is also investigating.”
The coroner’s office will now determine how the death should be classified.
— with files from Kylie Stanton
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